Aims

The aims of the course are to:

• Introduce students to the core components of 3D character animation, including rigging, skinning, animation, and rendering
• Provide hands-on experience with modern 3D graphics and animation tools
• Give students practical exposure to building, animating, and rendering a 3D character model
• As part of the project, students will capture an animatable 3D model of themselves and create a short animation

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• Understand the concepts of skeleton-based rigging and skinning
• Construct a simple rig for a 3D character and bind mesh geometry to the skeleton
• Understand simple animation techniques such as keyframe interpolation
• Capture a 3D human model and integrate it into an animation pipeline
• Produce a short animated 3D scene with animated 3D characters

Content

Week 1

Week 2

• Create a simple animation sequence using keyframe interpolation
• Render the animation into a 2D video
• Individual interim report

Week 3

• Load and animate a skinned 3D human model (SMPL)
• Explore human motion sequences using the human model
• Work in groups to capture 3D models of your team members
• Drive your character models using existing motion sequences and produce animated motion clips

Week 4

• Refine character animations and integrate them into a coherent 3D scene
• Produce a 30-second long animation video featuring the virtual characters
• Final group presentation and report

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

• Provide an in-depth understanding of wireless communication systems, covering both fundamental principles and advanced methodologies, including the challenges and demands faced by modern wireless communication technologies.
• Explore the evolution of wireless communication, from traditional systems to advanced technologies like 6G, and examine how wireless communication has transformed society, influencing how people live, work, and interact through ubiquitous networks such as
• Equip students with the tools to understand key concepts in wireless systems, such as signal propagation, channel models, and path loss, establishing a strong foundation to evaluate and design complex wireless systems.
• Delve into statistical channel analysis, diversity techniques, and advanced methods for optimizing communication efficiency. This includes applying techniques such as Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC), Equal Gain Combining (EGC), and OFDM, and focusing on optim
• Investigate multicarrier systems, including the application of OFDM, NOMA, and spread spectrum techniques, and explore their use in modern wireless communications, preparing students for the latest trends such as 6G technologies, Integrated Sensing and Co
• Prepare students to design, analyze, and optimize wireless systems by providing a comprehensive understanding of wireless communication technologies. This enables students to address real-world challenges through practical applications of OFDM, MIMO, and

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• Develop a strong foundation in wireless communication systems, focusing on concepts such as signal propagation, channel models, path loss, and shadowing effects. Understand how these principles apply to the design and evaluation of communication systems an
• Analyze wireless channel models, including statistical models for Narrowband fading, Markov channels, and wideband channels. Assess the impact of delay spread, Doppler shift, and capacity in various channel conditions (e.g., AWGN, flat fading, and frequen
• Explore diversity techniques such as MRC, EGC, adaptive modulation and coding, and Alamouti coding. Implement these techniques to improve system reliability and data transmission rates, while also understanding their performance in diverse channel conditi
• Master multiple-antenna systems, including MIMO, massive MIMO, and beamforming techniques, essential for modern communication systems. Apply these techniques to improve signal reception, transmission efficiency, and system capacity.
• Investigate advanced techniques, such as OFDM, NOMA, and spread spectrum techniques (DSSS, FHSS), to optimize wireless communication systems. Apply the knowledge of OFDM in multicarrier systems to handle high-data-rate wireless transmission, particularly
• Understand emerging wireless technologies such as ISAC, Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS), Terahertz communications, and gain insights into how these technologies will be integrated into next-generation networks like 6G.
• Apply these concepts in practical scenarios through coursework that focuses on the design and implementation of systems like OFDM and basic communication technologies for real-world applications. This hands-on approach will provide students with valuable

Content

Introduction to Wireless Communications & Channel Models (2L)

• Overview of wireless communications and channels
• Signal propagation
• Tx/Rx signal models
• Path loss models and shadowing effects
• Combined path loss/shadowing models
• Coverage area in cellular systems

Statistical Channel Models and Capacity (2L)

• Statistical wireless channel models
• Narrowband fading models
• Markov channel
• Wideband channel models
• Delay spread and Doppler
• Capacity of wireless channels: capacity in AWGN, flat and FS fading channels

Diversity Techniques (2L)

• Diversity techniques overview
• MRC and EGC diversity
• Transmit diversity
• Adaptive modulation and coding

Multiple-Antenna Systems and Beamforming (2L)

• Multiple-antenna wireless communications
• MIMO channel capacity and diversity
• Massive MIMO
• Beamforming
• mmWave Beamforming

Multi-carrier Systems & Spread Spectrum Techniques (2L)

• Time, Frequency, and Code Division Multiple Access (TDMA, FDMA, CDMA)
• Multicarrier Systems, OFDM, and other multi-carrier waveforms
• NOMA System
• Frequency domain equalization
• Spread spectrum techniques (DSSS, FHSS)
• RAKE receivers

Advanced Topics and Applications (2L)

• Multi-user systems and Cellular Systems
• 6G roadmap and key technologies
• Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC)
• Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS)
• Terahertz (THz) wireless 
• Space communications

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

• Understand Fundamental Theories: Gain a solid understanding of key concepts in photonics, including Maxwell's equations, waveguides, modes, FDTD models, and boundary conditions.
• Master Eigenmode Analysis: Learn to solve for eigenmodes in silicon waveguides using theoretical methods and Lumerical FDTD, and understand their physical significance.
• Develop Proficiency in Photonic Simulations: Acquire hands-on experience with Lumerical FDTD to set up, run, and analyze simulations, including basic waveguides and complex photonic components.
• Design, Simulation, and Validation: Gain the ability to design, simulate, and analyze photonic components such as directional couplers and MMIs, and validate simulation results by comparing them with mathematical models.

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• Understand the working principles and simulation methodologies for two key photonic components — directional couplers and multimode interferometers (MMIs), including mode coupling theory and multimode interference.
• Design and simulate a 2x2 directional couplers and a 2x2 MMI, optimizing their performance metrics such as coupling efficiency, insertion loss, and bandwidth.
• Validate simulation results by comparing them with analytical models and numerical methods, ensuring accuracy and reliability in predicting device behavior and performance. Discuss the current design limitation and possible improvement.
• Apply acquired knowledge and skills to practical scenarios, preparing for advanced studies or professional applications in photonics, such as communications, sensing, and signal processing.

Content

This four-week course on photonics simulation, designed for bachelor students, provides a comprehensive introduction to both theoretical and practical aspects of photonics. The course begins with an overview of fundamental photonics concepts, including Maxwell's equations, waveguides, and eigenmodes. Students will learn to derive waveguide modes using Maxwell’s equations and perform basic simulations.

In the second week, students will delve into eigenmode and mode propagation analysis in silicon waveguides, and design a single-mode waveguide utilizing both theoretical calculations and Lumerical FDTD simulations. This will provide a deeper understanding of mode characteristics and behavior in silicon waveguides.

The third week focuses on the design of two photonic components, i.e. a directional coupler and a MMI. Students will calculate key structural parameters and construct initial simulations of these components, gaining practical experience in photonic design and simulation techniques.

In the final week, students will optimize the performance of the designed components and validate their simulation results with mathematical models to ensure accuracy and reliability in their simulations. By the end of the course, students will be proficient in both the theoretical understanding and practical application of photonics simulations, preparing them for advanced studies or professional work in the field.

Week 1

Introduce fundamental photonics theory and basic waveguide simulation with Lumerical software, focusing on understanding and setting up simple models. 

Week 2

Dive into eigenmode analysis in silicon waveguides using both theoretical calculations and Lumerical FDTD. Design and simulate a single-mode waveguide, observe the mode propagation, and compare it with the calculated single-mode condition.

Week 3

Design and simulate two waveguide photonic components — a directional coupler and an MMI. Calculate their key structural parameters using theoretical models, and simulate both components with Lumerical FDTD.

Week 4

Validate simulation results by comparing them with theoretical and numerical models, optimize their performance, ensuring accuracy and reliability of the simulations. 

Mini Lectures:

Two mini lectures will be delivered to:

Aims

The aims of the course are to:

• provide fundamental knowledge and analytical skills required for VLSI systems design in the nanometre era
• illustrate the importance of custom design tools and also electronic design automation (EDA) for physical implementation, testing and verifications of VLSI systems

Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• be familiar with the modern CMOS fabrication process, physical layout design rules and anticipate trends in VLSI fabrication technologies
• understand the trade-off between the four key design metrics of modern VLSI systems – cost, reliability, speed and power
• recognise the parasitic effect of wires/interconnects and apply wire delay models like lumped RC model and Elmore delay model
• understand the sources of power dissipation and the factors affecting robustness of a VLSI system
• design and optimise multi-level CMOS combinational and sequential circuits using static logic, pass transistor logic and dynamic logic
• operate up-to-date design tools for VLSI systems and evaluate the quality of the outputs (e.g. floorplan, placement, routing, verification, etc.)

Content

The module will introduce the design principles of integrated circuit designs with millions of digital devices. It begins with CMOS design flows and fabrication processes that creates modern VLSI and explains the design metrics (performance, power, cost, reliability). The typical combinational and sequential circuit design styles like static logic, pass transistor logic and dynmaic logic will be illustrated with many examples of digital devices. The effect of wires and interconnects on circuit speed and power will be studied. The module will be concluded with a case study of cutting-edge advanced VLSI technologies (e.g. FinFET) and design techniques.

Design Flow and Metrics (1L)

• Design flow: design, synthesis, planning, implementation, fabrication
• Cost: yield and detects of wafer die
• Reliability: noise margins, regenerative property of digital circuits
• Speed: delay definition, Fanout-of-four (FO4) delay
• Power: instantaneous, average, peak

CMOS Fabrication and Layout Design Rules (1L)

• Fabrication process: substrate preparation, photolithography, doping and diffusion, oxidation, packing
• Design rules: micron rules vs scalable rules, CMOS process layers, stick diagrams (sketch)

CMOS inverters and static gates (2L)

• CMOS I-V equations, velocity saturation in deep sub-micron devices
• Source and model of parasitic capacitances
• DC analysis of CMOS inverters
• Equivalent resistance model
• Logic gate design using switch model

Wires and Interconnects (1L)

• Interconnect parameters: capacitance, resistance and inductance
• Wire models: lumped model, lumped RC model, Elmore delay model
• Distributed RC line

High-speed Logic Design and Logical Effort (1L)

• Delay of logic gates
• Derivation of intrinsic delay and logic effort
• Optimisation for buffer sizing and the number of buffer stages
• Branching Effort

CMOS Sequential Circuit Design, Clocking (2L)

• Static latches, flip-flops, and registers
• Dynamic designs: C²MOS register and TSPC latch
• Clock tree and clocking strategies

Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools for VLSI (1L)

• Synthesis: logic circuit modelling, timing models
• Placement: principles and challenges
• Routing: principles and challenges

Power and Robustness (1L)

• Dynamic power disspation
• Static comsumption
• Power analysis and optimisation technique
• Signal integrity issues

Packaging, I/O and Electrostatic Discharge Protection (1L)

• Common VLSI packaging options and issues
• Input and output (I/O) pad and buffer design
• Tri-state buffers

Advanced VLSI Technology and Design Techniques (e.g. FinFET, 3D stacking) (1L)

• Topics varies every year, suggestions from students are welcome.