MPG R tMPG Remote

Jason Long, P. EngEngenuics Technologies

BlackLine GPS

To do…

• A little about JasonA little about Jason• What in the world is MPG and why am I here?• MPG Present to Past• MPG Present to Past• What is MPG today?• Who cares?!?• MPG at your branch• Questions• Video (time permitting)( p g)

Jason LongJ g

• U of C ENEL 2002, ,IEEE SB Chair

• BW Technologies• General Dynamics Canada

• BlackLine GPS and• BlackLine GPS and Engenuics Technologies

• And all the while: MPG

Why am I here?y

• Give you a good idea about what MPG isGive you a good idea about what MPG is• Show you how MPG has been a huge success

ll b h d i i h• Tell you about the tremendous impact it has had on me personally and with students

• Describe how I’m attempting to create “MPG Remote”

• Convince you that – if you’re interested – your branch could offer MPG and enjoy the same!j y

What in the world is MPG?

• MicroProcessor Group – thanks Sean Hum!MicroProcessor Group  thanks, Sean Hum!• Started during Internship in 2000G l h i l k l d d• Goal: to share some practical knowledge and hands‐on experience

• Motivation: – Trying to learn how to speak– Desperate for hands‐on– Adding value to the U of C IEEE Student Branchg

ll hBut really, what is MPG?

MPG Present to Past

MPG 2011

The mission of MPG is to offer quality, hands‐on experience with 

t d l fguaranteed value from learning industry‐applicable informationapplicable information while giving students the opportunity to grow aopportunity to grow a strong personal network. 

MPG 2011

• Two extracurricular full‐year programsTwo extracurricular full year programs featuring the latest embedded technologies with custom development boardswith custom development boards

MPG 2011

• More than 750More than 750 pages of notes onlineonline

• Thousands of lines of codelines of code written and documented fordocumented for MPG

MPG 2011

• About $4 000 in equipmentAbout $4,000 in equipment• Over $25,000 in inventoryO $ 0 000 i l• Over $10,000 in sales

• Almost $10,000 in industry support• Over 3,000 hours invested• Total course fees paid by students: $0Total course fees paid by students: $0

MPG 2011

• Curriculum that spans 2nd 3rd and 4th yearCurriculum that spans 2 , 3 , and 4 year, plus opportunities well beyond

• Expansion to other universities in Canada• Expansion to other universities in Canada• Part of U of C Electrical / Computer d ’ d i idepartment’s advertising

• 200 participants this year?

MPG 2010

MPG 2010

• Realization of investment and magnitude ofRealization of investment and magnitude of experience

• Need for efficiency process and improving• Need for efficiency, process and improving value to studentsO i i• Opportunities

• Love doing this• Engenuics

MPG 2010

• 2010 MPG Level 1• 2010 MPG Level 1 and Level 2 classes: 120 students!

MPG 2010

• Retire after a decade or take it to a whole new level?  Level 2 it is!

MPG Years 7‐97 9

• Fully addicted and willing to give an ARM• Investment builds karma?• Wireless is amazing!!!g

MPG Years 7‐97 9

• IndustryIndustry taking notice and investingand investing

• Promotion, budgetingbudgeting, managing growthgrowth

MPG Years 7‐97 9

• $2000 in equipment$2000 in equipment• Almost $5000 in inventoryO $2000 i l• Over $2000 in sales

• $1000 in industry support• $1000 IEEE support• Over 2500 hours investedOver 2500 hours invested• Total course fees paid by students: $0

MPG Years 2‐6MPG Years 2 6

MPG Years 2‐6

• Notes and code baseNotes and code base growing, improvements every yearevery year

• Working in industry continues to feedcontinues to feed materialS i ddi d• Starting to get addicted

• Seeing great results

MPG Years 2‐6

• $500 in equipment$500 in equipment• Over $1000 in inventoryO $ 000 i l• Over $1000 in sales

• $500 in industry support• Over 1000 hours invested• Total course fees paid by students: $0Total course fees paid by students: $0

MPG in the beginning…g g

MPG Year 1

• there was PIC…there was PIC• Breadboards!?! S d l !• Scared every lecture!

• Establish a routine and find the fun

• Start to see results!

MPG: In the beginning…g g

• 20 pages of hand‐written notes20 pages of hand written notes• $0 in equipment$ 00 i i• $100 in inventory

• $500 in sales• $150 in industry support• Over 200 hours investedOver 200 hours invested• Total course fees paid by students: $0

MPG

A little about JasonA little about JasonWhat in the world is MPG and why am I here?MPG Present to PastMPG Present to Past• What is MPG today?• Who cares?!?• MPG at your branch• Questions• Video (time permitting)( p g)

MPG Today: Level 1y

MPG Level 1 (MPGL1) is the starting point whereMPG Level 1 (MPGL1) is the starting point where you bridge the gap between academics and the real worldreal world•Real hardware in real embedded systems: build the developmentsystems: build the development board and learn its circuits

•Learn the software dev tools •Look at simple firmware driversLook at simple firmware drivers for operation and peripherals that you’ll find everywhere in industryindustry

MPG Today: Level 1y

MPGL1 is ever‐evolvingMPGL1 is ever evolving and never seems to be done! This year it’sdone!  This year it s almost entirely new with new hardwarewith new hardware and much improved firmware to better tiefirmware to better tie in to MPG Level 2!

MPG Today: Level 2y

MPG Level 2 (MPGL2) is a complete productMPG Level 2 (MPGL2) is a complete product development cycle and presented in a way that MPGL1 is NOT a prerequisiteMPGL1 is NOT a prerequisite.•Real hardware in real embedded systems: build the developmentsystems: build the development board and learn its circuits

•Look at driver APIs to understand how to use theunderstand how to use the existing system

•Write a high‐level application: wireless Pongwireless Pong

MPG Today: Resourcesy

• www engenuics com/mpghome phpwww.engenuics.com/mpghome.php• Engenuics forum

f b k / i• www.facebook.com/Engenuics• mpg@engenuics.com

Who Cares?!?

• Why am I telling you this?Why am I telling you this?  Because I want to grow MPG to your universityMPG to your university through your IEEE student branchbranch

• Anyone enticed yet?H h h• Here comes the what, how and why….

MPG Remote

• MPG Remote is an off‐siteMPG Remote is an off site extension of the U of C MPG programprogram

• All of the technical resources are providedresources are provided

• Startup funds required: $0• The only thing needed is a leader!

MPG Remote

• MPGL1 and/or MPGL2Development boards ordered online and are provided– Development boards ordered online and are provided fully soldered

– SMT Solder Kits available for practice without di ti MPG i

– Borrow space and computers from your department or use

disrupting MPG progression

from your department or use laptops

– Optionally find soldering tools– Free serial programmers– Free development software

Important differences!p ff

• MPG at U of C has evolved to be a set ofMPG at U of C has evolved to be a set of courses taught by an industry professional with over 10 years of experiencewith over 10 years of experience

• MPG Remote is a student‐led interest group where students gather to learn together Thiswhere students gather to learn together.  This is how MPG got started, however you have vast resources at the get go to help youvast resources at the get‐go to help you succeed

MPG at your branchy

• What you need:What you need:– Someone to take the lead – two or three people even better!even better!  

– Weekly commitment: 1‐2 hours to learn material before each meeting + 1 hour to deliver + 1 hourbefore each meeting   1 hour to deliver   1 hour for questions, admin, etc.

– Place to meet weeklyy– Computer lab or students with laptops– Soldering equipment if you build kitsSoldering equipment if you build kits

MPG This Year

• This year is about starting and establishing• This year is about starting and establishing MPG remote and there will be plenty of bugs to get out!

• Two scenarios:1 Demo MPG to determine interest

to get out!

1. Demo MPG to determine interest.  Students are welcome to try a self‐directed MPG: maybe these will be 

l dyour leaders next year? 2. Pilot MPG Level 1 at select 

universitiesuniversities

Free Stuff!ff

• MPG Remote Demo:MPG Remote Demo:– 1 MPGL1 finished development board2 MPGL2 finished development boards– 2 MPGL2 finished development boards

– 1 finished SMT soldering boardS b idi d i i f t d t h d– Subsidized pricing for student hardware

– $5 to your branch for every dev board

Free Stuff!ff

• MPG Remote Pilot (5 schools this year):MPG Remote Pilot (5 schools this year):– 3 soldering stations with tools– 3 JLink programmers/debuggersp g / gg– 1 MPGL1 development board– 2 MPGL2 development boardsp– 1 finished SMT soldering kit– 2 unfinished SMT soldering kits– Subsidized pricing for student hardware– $5 to your branch for every dev board

Design Competitiong p

• Build an active display that will be placed in yourBuild an active display that will be placed in your branch office / McNaughton centre to show the hardware and advertise MPG and your branch.  y

• Email pictures of your branch and the display for judging (pictures will be posted on Facebook)judging (pictures will be posted on Facebook)

• Prize: a soldering station and two JLink programmers to the branch with the best displayprogrammers to the branch with the best display

Getting Resourcesg

• All of the MPG online content (notesAll of the MPG online content (notes, firmware, schematics)

• Hardware ordered online and delivered to• Hardware ordered online and delivered to your branchL l• Lesson plans

• Email and forum support• All software is free

Getting Helpg p

• Jason is highly motivated to spread MPG andJason is highly motivated to spread MPG and is more than willing to help however possible

• Admin resources (class lists MPG descriptions• Admin resources (class lists, MPG descriptions, funding proposals, etc.) will be in Google docsU f C d h d ff d IT• U of C department head, support staff and IT can contact their counterparts at your school 

h f hto vouch for the program• Local MPG alumni

MPG Remote

• Why this will work:Why this will work:– Engineering programs are similar across the country and students crave REAL skillscountry and students crave REAL skills

– Growing gap between capabilities of new grads and requirements of leading technologyand requirements of leading technology companies = demand for extra skills

– IEEE students are notoriously motivated, y ,intelligent, driven and recognize the value of this effort

MPG Remote

• Why this will work:y t s o :– You have branch members looking for events and activities: MPG runs weekly all year

– You don’t have any money: MPG is self‐sustaining– Your executive graduates and the branch dissolves: MPG promotes year‐over‐year engagement and growsMPG promotes year‐over‐year engagement and grows virally

– You need money: industry and academics are taking interest which you can leverage

– It’s hard to keep things going: Jason is driving growth and promotion and frankly won’t go awayand promotion and, frankly, won t go away

What’s in it for you?f y

• The better question is what can you choose toThe better question is what can you choose to do that will help others succeed?

• Your efforts will results in win win win for• Your efforts will results in win‐win‐win for other people, your branch and (yes) youP i h ff d h l k b k• Put in the effort, and then look back to understand what you have gained

• Branch growth, member involvement, alumni involvement, GOLD?

What I’ve Seen

• Exponential growth in my ability to speak, manage, p g y y p , g ,multi‐task, create time and energy

• Massive network of people (personal, academic, f i l) th t i i t tprofessional) that is very, very, very important

• Huge growth in expertise and skill‐set• Genuine feeling of accomplishment and excitement• Genuine feeling of accomplishment and excitement over what has been achieved and what is next to come

• Continuous job opportunitiesj pp• Engenuics• Unlimited possibilities

Growth Ideas

• Personal projects / customized MPGPersonal projects / customized MPG• Member bonuses• Industry sponsorship or guest speakers• Industry sponsorship or guest speakers• Spinoff groups / 4th year projectsPCB l t• PCB layout

• High school programs• Branch hardware store• Engenuics partner projects

Where this could gog

• Consistent branch fundingConsistent branch funding• Industry relationships• Company involvement• Company involvement• Your own MPG derivativeJ i t j t• Joint projects

• The MPG community• Bursaries• No where

Can you do this?y

• Absolutely!Absolutely!• Will it take effort?  Definitely!

ill i b h i ? b l fi l !• Will it be worth it?  Absol‐efin‐utely!• Guaranteed?

What I want

• Some commitment, but you’re neverSome commitment, but you re never committed

• EnthusiasmEnthusiasm• Communication• Promotion• Promotion• PicturesU d t• Updates

• Feedback

What I Want

• EffortEffort• Everyone in the design competitionCl i i h d l b d• Class picture with development boards

• Facebook and forum involvement• Weekly student count tracked and monthly updates via emailp

Summaryy

• It is almost easy to get MPG goingIt is almost easy to get MPG going• Tons of resources

G li b h ff i• MPG compliments your branch offerings –don’t change your other plans!

• Please fill out the info at the bottom of the form, rip it off and put in the MPG envelope

Got Questions?(I’ll also be around at dinner)