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Computer Engineering

Also Known As Electrical and Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering

Computer engineering combines electrical engineering and computer science to design computer hardware and the software that runs closest to it, including processors, memory systems, embedded systems and the firmware and low-level software that controls them. It is distinct from software engineering, which concerns application and system software more broadly, and from electrical engineering wider concern with power and communications systems. The first dedicated computer engineering degree program in the United States was established in 1971 at Case Western Reserve University, and by 2015 more than 250 ABET-accredited computer engineering programs existed nationwide.

Facts
Core Concern
Designing computer hardware, processors, memory and embedded systems, together with the low-level firmware that controls them. 1
Core Principle
Computer engineering integrates electrical engineering, electronics engineering and computer science, treating a computer's hardware and the software it runs as one designed system rather than two separately engineered halves. 2
Disputed
Origin Year
1971 1
Case Western Reserve University is widely credited with establishing the first computer engineering degree program in the United States in 1971.
Computer Engineering
Filter Results4 entries
Connections

Associated With

Alan Turing, Engineers

Laid the theoretical foundation of computing and helped design early stored-program computers.

Bob Kahn, Engineers

Co-designed the TCP/IP protocols underlying the internets networking hardware and architecture.

Designed the Analytical Engine, a mechanical forerunner of the programmable computer.

Co-built the Atanasoff-Berry Computer, an early electronic digital computer.

Electrical Engineering, Fields

Computer engineering grew out of electrical engineering as digital logic and processors became a distinct specialty.

Led design of the Intel 4004, the first commercial single-chip microprocessor.

Integrated Circuit, Inventions

Field-to-technology association verified live; FROM end owned by fields section

Built Sketchpad, a foundational program in interactive computer graphics and computer-aided design.

Co-designed ENIAC, one of the earliest general-purpose electronic computers.

Co-invented the Atanasoff-Berry Computer, an early electronic digital computer.

Co-designed ENIAC, one of the earliest general-purpose electronic computers.

Formulated the stored-program computer architecture used by nearly all modern computers.

Konrad Zuse, Engineers

Built the Z3, one of the first programmable digital computers.

Microprocessor, Inventions

Field-to-technology association verified live; FROM end owned by fields section

Smartphone, Inventions
Software Engineering, Fields

Computer engineering and software engineering meet at firmware and low-level system software.

The Integrated Circuit, Inventions

The integrated circuit is the foundational hardware component computer engineering designs with.

Invented the World Wide Web, running on the internets computing infrastructure.

Transistor, Inventions

Field-to-technology association verified live; FROM end owned by fields section

Vint Cerf, Engineers

Co-designed the TCP/IP protocols underlying the internets networking hardware and architecture.

Includes

Source 3D scanning (Wikipedia)
Source Barcode reader (Wikipedia)
Bluetooth, Inventions
Source Bluetooth (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Computer Keyboard (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Computer Mouse (Wikipedia)
Source Dot matrix printing (Wikipedia)
Source Douglas Engelbart (Wikipedia)
Ethernet, Inventions
Source Ethernet (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors

Led the Intel 4004 microprocessor design team and earlier created silicon-gate MOS technology at Fairchild.

Source Federico Faggin (Wikipedia)
Source Flash Memory (Wikipedia)
Source Floppy Disk (Wikipedia)
Source Graphics Processing Unit (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Graphics tablet (Wikipedia)
Source Hard Disk Drive (Wikipedia)
Source Inkjet printing (Wikipedia)
Source Integrated Circuit (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Jay Wright Forrester
Joystick, Inventions
Source Joystick - Wikipedia
Source Wikipedia: Magnetic-core memory
Source Microprocessor (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Modem, Inventions
Source Modem (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Source Motherboard - Wikipedia
Source Personal computer (Wikipedia)
Source Personal digital assistant - Wikipedia
Source Portable media player (Wikipedia)
Source Punched card - Wikipedia
Source Random-Access Memory (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Ray Holt, Engineers
Source A History of TechnologyCharles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors
Router, Inventions
Source Router (computing) (Wikipedia)
Smartphone, Inventions
Source Smartphone (Wikipedia)
Source Solid-state drive, Wikipedia
Sound Card, Inventions
Source Sound card, Wikipedia
Source Supercomputer (Wikipedia)
Source Encyclopaedia BritannicaEncyclopaedia Britannica editors
Trackball, Inventions
Source Trackball - Wikipedia
USB, Inventions
Source USB (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors
Webcam, Inventions
Source Webcam, Wikipedia
Wi-Fi, Inventions
Source Wi-Fi (Wikipedia)Wikipedia contributors

Open Questions

In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.View the Source
2. Computer Engineering (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction section
    Computer engineering may be referred to as Electrical and Computer Engineering or Computer Science and Engineering at some universities.
  • Lead section, opening definition of computer engineering
    Computer engineering (CE, CoE, CpE, or CompE) is a branch of engineering specialized in developing computer hardware and software.
  • History section, Atanasoff and Berry paragraph
    Computer engineering began in 1939 when John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry began developing the world's first electronic digital computer through physics, mathematics, and electrical engineering.
  • History of computer engineering education section, first degree program sentence
    The first computer engineering degree program in the United States was established in 1971 at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
  • In Group: Computing and Software Systems Engineering, lead sentence: a branch of engineering specialized in developing computer hardware and software
View the Source
A History of Technology
Charles Singer, E. J. Holmyard, A. R. Hall and Trevor I. Williams, editors, Oxford University Press, 1954Includes: Ray HoltView the Source
Federico Faggin (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Federico Faggin, lead section
Quote, Includes: Federico Faggin, lead section
He led the 4004 (MCS-4) project and the design group during the first five years of Intel's microprocessor effort.
View the Source
Jay Wright Forrester
Includes: Jay Forrester, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Jay Forrester, Lead section
Jay Wright Forrester (July 14, 1918, November 16, 2016) was an American computer engineer, management theorist and systems scientist.
View the Source
Douglas Engelbart (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Douglas Engelbart, Categories
Quote, Includes: Douglas Engelbart, Categories
Computer hardware engineers
View the Source
Hard Disk Drive (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Hard Disk Drive, Categories
Quote, Includes: Hard Disk Drive, Categories
Rotating disc computer storage media
View the Source
Floppy Disk (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Floppy Disk, Categories
Quote, Includes: Floppy Disk, Categories
Rotating disc computer storage media
View the Source
Computer Mouse (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Computer Mouse, Categories
Quote, Includes: Computer Mouse, Categories
Computing input devices
View the Source
Computer Keyboard (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Computer Keyboard, Categories
Quote, Includes: Computer Keyboard, Categories
Computer peripherals
View the Source
Solid-state drive, Wikipedia
Includes: Solid-State Drive, Categories
Quote, Includes: Solid-State Drive, Categories
Non-volatile memory
View the Source
Flash Memory (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Flash Memory, Categories
Quote, Includes: Flash Memory, Categories
Non-volatile memory
View the Source
Joystick - Wikipedia
Includes: Joystick, Categories
Quote, Includes: Joystick, Categories
Computer peripherals
View the Source
Trackball - Wikipedia
Includes: Trackball, Categories
Quote, Includes: Trackball, Categories
Computing input devices
View the Source
Webcam, Wikipedia
Includes: Webcam, Categories
Quote, Includes: Webcam, Categories
Computing input devices
View the Source
Wikipedia: Magnetic-core memory
Includes: Magnetic Core Memory, Categories
Quote, Includes: Magnetic Core Memory, Categories
Non-volatile memory
View the Source
Random-Access Memory (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Random Access Memory, Categories
Quote, Includes: Random Access Memory, Categories
Computer architecture
View the Source
Graphics Processing Unit (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Graphics Processing Unit, Categories
Quote, Includes: Graphics Processing Unit, Categories
Graphics hardware
View the Source
Wi-Fi (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Wi-Fi, Categories
Quote, Includes: Wi-Fi, Categories
Mobile computing
View the Source
USB (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: USB, Categories
Quote, Includes: USB, Categories
Computer buses
View the Source
Bluetooth (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Bluetooth, Categories
Quote, Includes: Bluetooth, Categories
Mobile computing
View the Source
Router (computing) (Wikipedia)
Includes: Router, Categories
Quote, Includes: Router, Categories
Computer networks engineering
View the Source
Sound card, Wikipedia
Includes: Sound Card, Categories
Quote, Includes: Sound Card, Categories
Hardware acceleration
View the Source
Personal digital assistant - Wikipedia
Includes: Personal Digital Assistant, Categories
Quote, Includes: Personal Digital Assistant, Categories
Mobile computing
View the Source
Integrated Circuit (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Integrated Circuit, Categories
Quote, Includes: Integrated Circuit, Categories
Semiconductor devices
View the Source
Microprocessor (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Microprocessor, Categories
Quote, Includes: Microprocessor, Categories
Microprocessors
View the Source
3D scanning (Wikipedia)
Includes: 3D Scanning, Categories
Quote, Includes: 3D Scanning, Categories
3D computer graphics
View the Source
Personal computer (Wikipedia)
Includes: Personal Computer, Categories
Quote, Includes: Personal Computer, Categories
Personal computers
View the Source
Supercomputer (Wikipedia)
Includes: Supercomputer, Categories
Quote, Includes: Supercomputer, Categories
Concurrent computing
View the Source
Smartphone (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIncludes: Smartphone, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Smartphone, Lead section
A smartphone is a mobile device that combines the functionality of a traditional mobile phone (feature phone) with advanced computing capabilities.
View the Source
Punched card - Wikipedia
Includes: Punched Card, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Punched Card, Lead section
Developed over the 19th to 20th centuries, punched cards were widely used for data processing, the control of automated machines, and computing.
View the Source
Barcode reader (Wikipedia)
Includes: Barcode Scanner, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Barcode Scanner, Lead section
A barcode reader or barcode scanner is an optical scanner that can read or scan printed barcodes and send the data they contain to a computer.
View the Source
Modem (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Modem, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Modem, Lead section
A modulator-demodulator, commonly referred to as a modem, is a computer hardware device that converts data from a digital format into a format suitable for an analog transmission medium such as telephone or radio.
View the Source
Ethernet (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia FoundationIncludes: Ethernet, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Ethernet, Lead section
Ethernet ( EE-thər-net) is a family of wired computer networking standards designed for (but not limited to) local area networks (LAN), access networks, and metropolitan area networks (MAN).
View the Source
Inkjet printing (Wikipedia)
Includes: Inkjet Printing, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Inkjet Printing, Lead section
Inkjet printing is a type of computer printing that recreates a digital image by propelling very fine droplets of ink onto various substrates such as paper, plastic, wood and metal.
View the Source
Motherboard - Wikipedia
Includes: Motherboard, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Motherboard, Lead section
It holds and allows communication between many of the crucial electronic components of a system, such as the central processing unit (CPU) and memory, and provides connectors for other peripherals.
View the Source
Portable media player (Wikipedia)
Includes: Portable Media Player, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Portable Media Player, Lead section
Normally, they refer to small, battery-powered devices utilising flash memory or a hard disk for storing various media files.
View the Source
Graphics tablet (Wikipedia)
Includes: Graphics Tablet, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Graphics Tablet, Lead section
A graphics tablet (also known as a digitizer, digital graphic tablet, pen tablet, drawing tablet, external drawing pad or digital art board) is a computer input device that enables a user to hand draw or paint images, animations and graphics, with a special pen-like stylus, similar to the way a person draws pictures with a pencil and paper by hand.
View the Source
Dot matrix printing (Wikipedia)
Includes: Dot Matrix Printer, Lead section
Quote, Includes: Dot Matrix Printer, Lead section
Dot matrix printing, sometimes called impact matrix printing, is a computer printing process in which ink is applied to a surface using a relatively low-resolution dot matrix for layout.
View the Source
Open Questions (1 open question)
Was the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (1939-1942) the first electronic digital computer, given that it was neither programmable nor Turing-complete?

Wikipedia's Atanasoff-Berry Computer article states the ABC "was the first automatic electronic digital computer...The ABC's priority is debated among historians of computer technology, because it was neither programmable, nor Turing-complete." A 1973 US federal court ruling (Honeywell v. Sperry Rand) held the ENIAC patent invalid because ENIAC derived key ideas from the ABC, but that legal ruling settled a patent case, not the historians' definitional debate over what should count as the "first" electronic digital computer.

What would resolve this A settled, family-wide definitional standard for what counts as a "computer" (mere electronic arithmetic vs. programmability vs. Turing-completeness) applied consistently across every early-computing priority claim, which does not yet exist in the historical literature.
Wikipedia contributors, Atanasoff-Berry Computer (Wikipedia)
Frequently Asked Questions

When is computer engineering usually dated to have begun, and who is credited with starting it?

Computer engineering is usually dated to 1939, when John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry began building what became the world's first electronic digital computer, drawing on physics, mathematics and electrical engineering. Atanasoff taught physics and mathematics at Iowa State University, and Berry was his graduate student, trained in electrical engineering and physics.
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