Ethics, Standards and Professional Practice
EMB 400 addresses the critical ethical dilemmas, professional responsibilities, and legal frameworks encountered by embedded systems engineers. Students will delve into topics such as data privacy, security, intellectual property, environmental sustainability, and the societal implications of autonomous systems, AI integration, and critical infrastructure control. The course emphasizes the development of a strong ethical compass and an understanding of professional codes of conduct. Through case studies, debates, and practical exercises, students will learn to identify, analyze, and resolve complex ethical problems in real-world embedded systems development. The curriculum also covers relevant industry standards, regulatory compliance, and best practices for ensuring system reliability, safety, and trustworthiness. This capstone ethics course ensures graduates are equipped to navigate the moral and professional challenges of their careers, contributing to the development of ethical and responsible technological solutions.
Prerequisites
Course outline
Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.
Syllabus
### Course Outcomes Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. **Analyze Ethical Frameworks:** Apply various ethical theories (e.g., utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics) to resolve ethical dilemmas in embedded systems engineering. 2. **Understand Professional Conduct:** Articulate and adhere to professional codes of ethics relevant to engineering and technology. 3. **Evaluate Societal Impact:** Assess the broader societal, environmental, and economic impacts of embedded systems, including issues of privacy, security, and bias. 4. **Identify Standards and Regulations:** Recognize and apply relevant industry standards, regulations, and legal considerations in embedded systems design and deployment. 5. **Address Intellectual Property:** Explain intellectual property rights (patents, copyrights, trade secrets) and their implications for embedded systems development. 6. **Communicate Ethically:** Develop effective communication strategies for presenting ethical analyses and recommendations to diverse stakeholders. ### Weekly Topic List * **Week 1:** Introduction to Engineering Ethics & Embedded Systems Context * **Week 2:** Ethical Theories & Decision-Making Models * **Week 3:** Professional Codes of Conduct & Responsibility (IEEE, ACM) * **Week 4:** Privacy, Data Security, and Surveillance in Embedded Systems * **Week 5:** Intellectual Property, Open Source, and Licensing * **Week 6:** Safety-Critical Systems, Reliability, and Risk Management * **Week 7:** Bias, Fairness, and Accountability in AI/ML Embedded Systems * **Week 8:** Environmental Sustainability & E-waste in Embedded Design * **Week 9:** Global and Societal Impact of Autonomous Systems (Vehicles, Drones) * **Week 10:** Whistleblowing, Conflict of Interest, and Professional Dissent * **Week 11:** Ethics of Testing, Verification, and Validation * **Week 12:** Regulatory Compliance and Legal Aspects (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) * **Week 13:** Comprehensive Midterm Review * **Week 14:** Final Review ### Grading Policy * Knowledge Checks: 15% * Assignments/Labs: 30% * Quizzes: 25% * Final Exam: 30% ### Required Materials * **Textbook:** Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases by Charles E. Harris Jr., Michael S. Pritchard, and Michael J. Rabins (latest edition). * **Online Resources:** IEEE Code of Ethics, ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, various case studies provided via LMS. * **Software:** Standard office suite for document creation and presentations.