6/12/2026 Em Jankauski, Edited by Megan Altmyer
This year, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign introduced a new Audio Amplifier Lab for ECE 469, allowing for hands-on opportunities that bridge the gap between theory and implementation.
Written by Em Jankauski, Edited by Megan Altmyer
Data centers. Consumer electronics. Electric vehicles. Renewable energy systems. These technologies depend on power electronics to efficiently convert, control, and deliver energy. They represent real challenges that the next generation of engineers will face in the real world.
ECE 469 provides students with a deeper understanding of these systems. Students work with power converters, including direct current (DC)-to-DC, DC-to-alternating current (AC), and AC-to-DC systems. They learn how to design, build, and test them using modern tools.
This year, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign introduced a new Audio Amplifier Lab for ECE 469, allowing for hands-on opportunities that bridge the gap between theory and implementation. Developed in-house with support from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power Electronics Society (PELS), the Audio Amplifier Lab is part of the ongoing IEEE PELS University Lab Kit Development Program. It works to connect converter theory to the familiar and engaging application of sound in an accessible and scalable manner.
“At its core, this course is redefining how hands-on engineering education is delivered — making it more structured, more engaging, and more aligned with modern technological needs,” said ECE associate professor Arijit Banerjee.
Students use standard laboratory instruments to measure waveforms and analyze harmonic distortion. They explore switching behavior, modulation techniques, and filter design by working with analog and power circuit components and a loudspeaker load. This setup allows students to visualize the power-conversion phenomena and explore the underlying operating principles, performance tradeoffs, and practical design requirements involved in real power electronics systems.
“In ECE 469, students don’t just analyze these systems. They interact with them, measure them, and understand how design decisions translate into real-world performance,” said Banerjee. “We want students to develop, not just knowledge, but engineering intuition.”
The redesigned course structure helps students understand how systems behave, why they behave that way, and how to design within constraints. For students pursuing graduate studies, the course also builds a strong foundation in modeling control and experimental validation, all essential components of advanced research.
“Students who complete these courses [ECE 469 or ECE 498] will have experience designing, testing, and troubleshooting real systems — skills that are immediately valuable in industry,” Banerjee explained. “More importantly, we want them to become confident builders and problem-solvers. We need engineers who can take a concept from idea to implementation and critically evaluate its performance, all while enjoying the process of exploration.”
More than a standalone experiment, the Audio Amplifier Lab serves as a bridge between classroom and real-world engineering. By bringing together concepts from power electronics, signal processing, and system design, the lab experience helps students develop the analytical and problem-solving skills needed to build and refine complex technologies.
Related videos:
Experiment 9 Overview and Experiment 0 Scope Probes
Grainger Engineering Affiliations
Arijit Banerjee is an Illinois Grainger Engineering associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering.