Trade-Off

Event Introduction

In these times of recession where the mantra of every possible company is cost cutting and optimum use of resources present, it becomes even more important for engineers to think quickly and come up with designs of circuits which are efficient, both in terms of cost and performance. Good engineers must make off the cuff decisions to extract the best performance from the system despite the real-time constraints. Trade-Off is a platform where not just designing circuits but also making judicious use of the resources provided to them is taken into account. An event that only requires the knowledge of basic circuit design and a lot of common sense, so if you think you have what it takes to make this decision yet come up with a working circuit design, Trade-Off is the competition for you.

Event Format

Design and implement simple analog and digital circuits using virtual money.

Rules and Regulations

• A team can consist of a maximum of three members.
• There will be a written elimination round prior to the main event. Only a limited number of teams, depending on their performance in the elimination round, will qualify for the main event.
• The elimination round will have questions which test one's understanding of simple analog and digital electronics circuits.
• In the main event, each team is expected to design circuits according to problem statements.
• The problem statements will be provided on the spot.
• Virtual Money:
  • Each team is provided with some initial components and virtual money for the event.
  • The virtual money can be used by the teams to buy additional components required to build the circuits.
  • Half the cost of the component will be credited (as virtual money) on returning the component.
  • Technical help, if required can also be obtained at the cost of virtual money.
  • An incentive (virtual money) is awarded to all circuits that obtain the expected output.
  • The amount to be added will be decided based on the quality of the result obtained and the discretion of the judges.
• Teams will NOT be allowed to carry their own personal components to the event. All the components required for the event will be provided by the organizers.

Resources

Datasheets for all the components required will be provided.

Useful Knowledge

• Basics of Analog Electronic Circuits: Transistors, OPAMPs, 555 timers, etc.
• Basics of Digital Electronic Circuits: TTL gates, adders, etc.
• Analog Communication: Simple modulator-demodulator circuits

Judging Criteria

• The output of the circuit will be evaluated.
• Time required to build the circuit will be considered.
• The team with the highest amount of virtual money in their account at the end of the event will be declared as the winner.
• Judges' decision will be final and binding in all cases.

Contact details:

• Varun Kumar N : +91-9844316252
• You can email your queries to trade-off@engineer.org.in