Lab Name What is the difference between BPSK and QPSK?
Subject Area Math and Computer Science
Grade 7 - 12
Topic Data transfer: BPSK, QPSK
Experiment Title What is the difference between BPSK and QPSK?
Hardware
  • COSMOS Toolkit: Computer Node
Software
  • COSMOS Toolkit: Framework
  • GNU Radio Companion
Number of Sessions to teach the topic 2 - 3 sessions
Educational standards to be addressed
  • CCSS.Math.Content.HSF.IF.C.9
    Compare properties of two functions each represented in a different way (algebraically, graphically, numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions).
  • CCSS.Math.Content.7.SP.C.5
    Understand that the probability of a chance event is a number between 0 and 1 that expresses the likelihood of the event occurring. Larger numbers indicate greater likelihood. A probability near 0 indicates an unlikely event, a probability around 1/2 indicates an event that is neither unlikely or likely, and a probability near 1 indicates a likely event.
COSMOS concepts to be used for the lab Frequency, voltage, noise, decibel (dB), transmitter amplitude, noise amplitude, environmental noise, health hazards, noise path, receiver, noise source, bandwidth, data rate, signal bandwidth, and modulation.
K12 Educational Goals (How the educational goals are achieved through teaching using the experiment, how the topic is connected to the COSMOS concepts used) When the digital data is being modulated - this process can be explained as functions. In Algebra I. Different presentation, including mapping of domain and range. In wireless connection, transmitter and receiver can be explained as functions that has input and output.
Short Description and Walk-through of the experiment The lab demonstrates the difference between Binary Phase Shift Keying - BPSK vs Quadrature Phase Shift Keying - QPSK. After students do the worksheet they can actually do the lab to see how the data is being received on a linear line vs. spread among four quadrants.
Testbed mapping of the experiment The experiment can be extended by executing this on a Testbed like ORBIT(Rutgers) and WItest(NYU). Teachers/Students will have to make reservations before running the experiment. Once given the approval, they will log in to them over the internet and run the experiment on them via remote access. In the experiment, they will send information using signals with different modulation scheme, and observe the effect of real noise into wireless communications

Experiment Execution

Please select the modulation scheme you would like to observe (i.e., BPSK or QPSK) by pressing the appropriate START button. In order to terminate the experiment press STOP:

BPSK QPSK

Experiment Material

NGSS Lesson Plan
Worksheet

© 2019 COSMOS Project. Created by Martina Choi, Beacon School