Reach Out And Dsp Someone!

In recent years, more and more students have been designing and implementing small systems using real-time DSP hardware. Given the decreasing cost and the increasing capability of DSP starter kits (DSKs) and evaluation modules (EVMs), these projects are being used by greater numbers of educators as a valuable pedagogical tool. Currently, the ability to easily control a number of electrical loads totaling several hundred watts using DSKs or EVMs does not readily exist. Yet DSP control of significant electrical loads can add depth and interest to many student projects. This paper will discuss the design, construction, and use of a very compact, dual-tone multiple-frequency (DTMF) based decoder and power switching device. These devices have been successfully and enthusiastically used by a number of undergraduate and graduate students to allow their DSP algorithms to control their world, or to put it another way, to Reach Out and DSP Someone!