Wireless Technology Training
Wireless technology has applications ranging from cell phone communication to biomedical device design. Free online courses on these applications are often available via a school's OpenCourseWare class offerings, which provide PDF lecture notes and other course materials that were used for these classes when they were presented on campus for credit. Programs may provide a list of textbooks that were used in the wireless class that can be purchased from a third-party bookseller. Some courses contain wireless communication video lectures rather than text lecture notes. Two sources of free OCW courses on wireless technology are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Michigan. These schools don't award academic credit for these courses, and students will not be graded for any of their work.
List of Free Wireless Courses Online
MIT
- Biomedical Devices Design Laboratory explores the methods used to create electromechanical instruments for use in biomedical settings. Through PDF-based lectures and lab instructions, participants of this free OCW course can design a data acquisition system that will utilize not only wireless technology, but also a USB connection and microprocessor technology.
- Competition in Telecommunications focuses on the competition within the telecommunications market. Students learn how telecommunications, such as mobile devices and wireless internet, long-distance services, and cable TV have promoted technological advances in the telecommunications industry. Students can continue to learn wireless networking with their access to a list of telecommunications websites for further reference, PDF slides, a reading list, and assignments.
- Electromagnetics and Applications looks at how electromagnetic theory is applied to various technologies, including wireless communications. Three of the 12 problem sets deal specifically with wireless communications, and the related concepts covered include the conservation of energy and power, receiving antennas, and radiation. Course participants have access to lecture notes, problem sets, and wireless communication video lectures from MIT.
- High Speed Communication Circuits explores the design problems of high-speed communication circuitry and wireless applications. High-speed digital circuits and electronic frequency systems are among the topics students will learn about through lecture notes, sample assignments, and a sample mid-term exam, all in PDF format.
- Introductory Digital Systems Laboratory is considered one of the most challenging courses at MIT. Readers may find the exploration of digital systems concepts mentally demanding. Wireless technology is examined through the course's final project, which involves designing a small digital system. Downloadable documents and videos are available to help students make their digital system function.
- Principles of Digital Communication I touches upon designing systems for wireless communication within the broader realm of digital communication. Some of the other topics covered include data compression, detection, and signal constellations. Readers of this OCW course can download lecture notes, homework assignments, and sample exams.
- Principles of Wireless Communications goes over wireless channel models, power control, and space-time codes. The course website syllabus lists Fundamentals of Wireless Communication, by David Tse and Pramod Viswanath, as its textbook. The course links to a free PDF version of the textbook complete with exercises from each chapter.
- Sensor Technologies for Interactive Environments explores the science behind sensor technologies, largely through studies of human-computer interfacing. Wireless networks utilize such technologies, and wireless concepts are specifically explored within the context of microcontrollers, digital sensor standards, and electric field and inductive sensing. PDF-based lecture notes and homework assignments make up the downloadable content of this wireless communication course.
University of Michigan
- Information Technology and Global Development serves as a primer to the broader field of information technology as it relates to world development. Taught in Powerpoint form, the course starts with modern-day concerns regarding international development and moves toward how policies for technological development in developing nations are handled. Wireless technology is among the subjects explored, and one of the readings discusses how wireless telemedicine systems are developed in rural areas.
