The development of the laboratory for System Noise in Electronic Design makes use of some excellent advances in instrument technology to help undergraduate students learn about the practical considerations of system noise, both as it affects their design, and as generated by their design. These considerations of Electromagnetic Compatibility between the electronics and the system are often overlooked and seldom taught, but nearly always of real concern. Three specific areas are covered in this project: the influence of a reference (ground) shift due to switching current in an inductive reference; the susceptibility of electronics to additive/modulating spurious signals; and the conducted interference generated by switching electronics. In all cases the students observe the effects and means of reduction of the noise through practical experiments in the laboratory.
