Just a few moths ago, I borrowed a Microprocessor Startup Kit from my lecturer so that I can study it, learn how to use it and perhaps, implement it in my Final Year Project.

Just a few weeks ago, I took the kit to class and told my lecturer that I have no idea how to use the kit as I’ve never been thought how to program a microprocessor or micro controller before. Although the students are all very well thought about the internal workings of the microprocessor, we were never though about the external workings of it. We don’t know how it actually interacts with other devices and we do not know how to build a circuit for it if we don’t have a startup kit. We were only given rough ideas on how it should work and expected to know how to use it to the fullest a few months later.

The college didn’t care if we really understood the process of programming a microprocessor or not, they just keep track of who passes the programming subject and who fails.

Just a few days ago, I received my shipment of 2 Micro Controller and another startup kit. I just realized that I also have no idea how to program the darn thing. The circuit and idea for the rest of the circuit was all done but the most important part was this micro controller.

How do I write programs into it? How do I make it interact with other Micro Controllers? How do I make it communicate with the PC so that the PC can give commands to the Micro Controller? How do I send and receive signals on a single input/output pin with a string of data instead of just 1 bit of data?

By schedule, my group have until May to complete and present our project. That’s 2 and half months left. By estimation, we only actually have less then one month left since we’re also required to write reports, documentations, calculate the theories behind the technology and in between, go to work! We also have 3 Finals coming in May, 5 more assessment papers and office projects to complete in that short period of time.

If we pass all of this, we’ll get our diploma. A diploma where our projects requires more knowledge that even some of my Degree holder friends couldn’t help with. And this diploma, is going to be quite useless when I bring it with me for my interviews because it’s just a diploma and not a degree. Masters are getting quire common these days and all I’ll have is this diploma which I have worked really hard to get these 4 years and gone crazy trying to meet the requirements in the last 6 months of the course.

Like Steve Jobs would say: “I don’t see the value in this. But we can never connect the dots to the future, we can only connect the dots looking to the past.”

To me, I saw the dots connecting to the future when I took the course. I saw myself learning about things which I could use in my everyday life and in my work. True enough, looking back, the dots connected seems to let me be able to create some simple circuits and stuff. But the whole picture connected by the dots looks ugly. It looks as if education just wasted 4 years of my life. It looks like we could have learned twice as much if we were not rushed into exams and deadlines all the time.

My group has finally decided what to do for our Final Year Project. Actually, it should be named, final 4 months project because that’s all the time we have for planning, design, building it, documentation and preparation for presentation. Notice I didn’t even mention time for testing and debugging?

Anyway, we have decided to build a wireless switch which enables us to control a 3-pin plug remotely using a computer. The computer program can later be upgraded to run through the internet for further improvements.

The basic idea is to let users switch on and off their basic appliance without the need to physically be there. This will ease the burden of older or handicapped people which find reaching for switches a difficult task.

While we have an idea what components we need to use for this project, we do not even know how to start~! Stupid PSDC for having the requirements for a Microcontroller in our FYP when they don’t even have a course or fast track to teach anyone how to use it!

Anyway, that only mean we need to learn how to use the micro controller our self. I wonder if there’s anyone who can teach us if there’s any differences between microcontrollers for different interface? Or are they all the same? I am not sure if all microcontrollers can be used by the same programming and starter kit or not.

And I really hope the wireless module which I’m going to order will handle all modulations/demodulations by itself without the need for me to figure out how to do it. <_<