Point of automata theory in ECE?

[jhicks]

So I've got a ton of time on my hands for the next few days so I'm trying to meticulously plan out the courses I'm going to take in grad school in electrical engineering. Some things look interesting, and I've been trying to plan my curriculum the best I can to coincide with things that would be useful for working at a major semiconductor fab corp like AMD, but some courses look interesting rather than useful. This one in particular I'm looking at is automata theory, which appears to be an extremely theoretical class but doesn't appear to offer much practical knowledge.

If anyone is familiar with the topic on a deeper level than say what I can extract from the wikipedia article, could they provide an argument for how this could possibly complement my studies? It looks interesting - I just can't justify taking it as one of my 6-8 grad classes.

 

[ytoruno]

Ive taken classes in automata theory. They probably won't help you very much directly with a circuits job like those at AMD, but you will walk away with a deeper understanding on how we model computers and robots, probably some better knowledge of linguistics as well. Its a similar shift in paradigm to when you first program in a low level language; one has to think about bit registers and memory and all sorts of things a high level language takes care for you automatically. If you haven't taken an algorithms class then you will be introduced to classes of problems (P,NP, etc) and feasible computation by different computer models. I think this is probably the most helpful portion, some problems simply cannot be solved in a feasible amount of time and you will learn to spot them.

 

[Mene]

Automata theory is an important aspect of electrical and computer engineering (ECE) that has applications in various fields, including hardware design, software engineering, and artificial intelligence. It deals with the study of abstract machines and their ability to compute and solve problems. While it may seem theoretical, automata theory has practical applications in ECE.

Firstly, automata theory is essential for understanding the fundamental principles of computation and how computers work. It provides a theoretical foundation for the design and analysis of algorithms, which are crucial for solving complex problems in ECE. By studying automata theory, you will gain a deeper understanding of how computers operate at a fundamental level, which can help you in your future work in the field.

Secondly, automata theory is closely related to formal languages and grammars, which are essential for programming languages and compilers. By understanding automata theory, you will be better equipped to design and analyze programming languages and develop compilers for them. This knowledge can be highly valuable for working at a major semiconductor fab corporation like AMD, as they develop and use programming languages and compilers for their hardware and software products.

Moreover, automata theory has applications in the design of hardware systems, such as digital circuits and computer architectures. It helps in understanding the behavior of these systems and optimizing their performance. This knowledge can be beneficial for working in the semiconductor industry, where efficient and reliable hardware design is crucial.

Finally, automata theory also has applications in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides a theoretical foundation for the development of intelligent systems and helps in understanding their capabilities and limitations. With the increasing use of AI in various industries, including the semiconductor industry, knowledge of automata theory can be highly valuable.

In summary, while automata theory may seem theoretical at first glance, it has practical applications in various areas of ECE. It can help you develop a deeper understanding of computation, programming languages, hardware design, and artificial intelligence, which are all crucial skills for a successful career in the field. Therefore, it would be beneficial to consider taking this course as part of your graduate studies in ECE.