Ahmed Elbadrawi

Hi, I’m Ahmed.

I am a fifth year Electrical Engineering Student at the University of Alberta with a focus on RF and Digital IC design. I have a strong passion for electronics, and have built my own electronics lab at home for my personal projects. Currently I'm working with a startup, Pocket Clinic, to implement low-power oscillators for a wearable bio-medical sensing device. For my capstone project, I'm developing a battery-less ultra-low-power RF transmitter for home and industrial automation.

[Experience]

Pocket Clinic:

Analog Design Intern

Jan 2024 - April 2024
Sound Antidote:

RF PCB Design Intern

September 2023 - December 2023
Pocket Clinic:

Antenna Design Intern

April 2023 - Aug 2023
AlbertaSat:

Satellite Communications Design Team Member

February 2023 - February 2024
The Rec Room:

Electronics Technician

July 2021 - January 2022

[Projects]

CMOS IC 2-Bit Comparator and NAND Ring Oscillator

Implemented a specialized 2-bit comparator in Cadence Virtuoso. A NAND Ring Oscillator was used as a clock for the comparator. Conducted DRC checks and LVS verifications. Performed parasitic extraction to extract and simulate the circuit from the layout to measure and optimize various parameters such as propagation delay and power consumption.

Energy-Harvesting Ultra-Low-Power RF Transmitter

Created a battery-less ultra-low power RF transmitter powered by a small magnetic generator. The transmitter circuit consisted of a CC1101 Transceiver controlled with an MSP430 MCU via SPI. By programming the MSP430 in assembly, and using various techniques to speed up cold start time, the energy consumption per transmission was reduced to 300 microJoules. Rather than a Schottky diode for rectification, an LT8672 active rectifier controller was used to avoid the losses in the forward voltage drop of a diode. The reciever would recieve the signal through the CC1101 and send that data to the ESP32, where the light is toggled, and corresponding power data is sent to a web server for logging.

Soft-Core CPU Implemented with a Controller and Datapath

Developed and validated a soft-core CPU via VHDL, including the datapath, controller, and its peripherals. This was executed on a Zybo-7000 FPGA board for tangible testing and verification. Various instructions were coded into the controller, for a total of 12 different instructions. The culmination of this work was a unique instruction set that improved CPU functionality. Through detailed VHDL programming and comprehensive FPGA testing, it was ensured the design was robust under different conditions, showcasing the effectiveness of our instruction set architecture. The Fibonacci sequence was coded into the program memory, where it was tested and verified via simulations and on-board testing.

Web-Enabled LCD Stock Ticker Display

Designed and implemented a Stock-Ticker Display system, integrating real-time stock data visualization on a 1602 LCD powered by an ESP32 MCU. This project involved creating an intuitive GUI for easy navigation through various menu options, utilizing freeRTOS for its development. Also developed software capable of extracting CBOE Level 2 stock data from HTML sources, enhancing the system's data scraping efficiency. Rigorous debugging and testing were conducted to ensure both hardware and software components worked flawlessly together. A customized PCB was designed using Altium, with fabrication completed by JLCPCB for a tailored hardware foundation.

Ultrasonic Parametric Array for Directional Audio

Developed a project that focused on generating an FM modulated ultrasonic beam for achieving highly directional audio, which demodulates upon contact with a surface. The core of this innovation involved using a 555 timer in astable mode for the FM modulation of an audio signal. This modulated signal was then amplified through a TC4427A MOSFET driver to power an ultrasonic transducer array. To fine-tune the system, LTSpice was employed for simulation purposes, analyzing the frequency spectrum of the output signal and adjusting component values for optimal performance. Version 1 is shown on the left, while version 2 is on the right. In the newer revision, a potentiometer was added for frequency trimming, the Op-Amp was replaced with a MOSFET driver, and an audio jack was added.

2.45 GHz RF Transistor Amplifier

Designed and built a matched transistor amplifier capable of operating at 2.45GHz, utilizing microstrip technology on a FR4 substrate. This setup achieved an overall gain of 11dB and an input return loss of 15dB, highlighting its efficiency in signal amplification at high frequencies. The project involved extensive use of Pathwave Advanced Design System (ADS) software for the synthesis, design, and simulation of double stub matching networks. These networks were crucial for achieving conjugate matching at both the input and output of the transistor, optimizing the amplifier's performance. Specifically simulated the BFU520 BJT RF transistor within Pathwave ADS to verify its stability at the intended operating frequency and Q-point, ensuring the amplifier's reliability and effectiveness. To fine-tune the amplifier's performance, I employed a commercial Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) to measure and analyze the S-parameters. This allowed for precise adjustments to the matching networks, ensuring optimal signal integrity and amplifier performance.

AVR-Based Reaction Timer

Developed an AVR-based reaction timer game, incorporating a laser-tripwire mechanism, using an AVR microcontroller and coding in C with MPLABx IDE. The project features a user interface displayed on a 1602 LCD, allowing for easy navigation through the game's menu. To facilitate interaction with different components, interrupts, timers, and Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADC) were employed in the firmware. During the development phase, I utilized an oscilloscope and a signal generator to test and verify the system's functionality.

Algorithmic Trading Software

Crafted an algorithmic trading system focused on automating contract spread trades on the CBOE options exchanges, utilizing Python for real-time data analysis. This system optimizes buys and sells in the NASDAQ market through strategic use of technical indicators. Additionally developed a Python-based backtesting tool, enabling strategy simulation and performance visualization. This project demanded a deep dive into Python and IBKR API documentation, financial trading frameworks and data integration.