A Low-Cost Programmable Arbitrary Function Generator for Educational Environment

This paper presents the design, implementation, and operation of a low-cost programmable arbitrary function generator intended for use as a plug-in board in a personal computer. Since a digital computer is used, capabilities such as programmability and signal recording are available with this system. Therefore, this instrument can generate any function of time that can be represented mathematically. The ability to generate arbitrary waveforms makes this instrument more versatile that an ordinary function generator that can produce only a few different waveforms. This design offers a significant advantage to educators in underdeveloped countries with limited resources to obtain a low-cost instrument that can be used in undergraduate laboratories where more expensive commercially arbitrary function generators are not available. One interesting application of this instrument is the synthesis of sound. If the equation for a particular sound is known, the sound can be produced when this function generator is connected to an audio amplifier and a speaker.