A Bluetooth Audio Amplifier Project for an Embedded Systems Course

This paper describes a design project in which students were required to design and build a Bluetooth audio amplifier for an embedded systems course at York College of Pennsylvania. Requirements for the device include connectivity from audio sources that support the Bluetooth A2DP profile, two-channel stereo amplification at 15 Watts per channel, and a touchscreen display with playback controls and track and artist information. The three main components, the Bluetooth module, the amplifier IC, and the touchscreen LCD, were pre-selected for the students. The remainder of the components, such as analog circuit components, power supplies, voltage regulators, etc., were selected by the students as part of the design process. This design project is intended to provide students with a complete embedded system design experience. Students start by reading data sheets, selecting components, performing schematic capture of their design, and maintaining a bill of materials. Next, each student creates a PCB layout for their design, generates the required Gerber files, and orders their components and PCBs. When components arrive each student does final assembly, soldering, and debugging of their completed PCBs. The final step is configuring the firmware on the Bluetooth module and developing a user interface on the LCD.