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Description: The first couple weeks I spent developing a simplified mass airflow (MAF) sensor simulation. As I tweaked the simulation, I compared its results to actual measured data. I didn't produce many useful results on this project, but it was more so intended as a practice to get me more familiar with the software used (Matlab) and the theory behind MAF sensors. I spent about a month developing LabVIEW software for my supervisor. He wanted a program to analyze various measurements taken on MAF sensors, specifically providing interpolation and extrapolation of data. My program extracted raw measured data and displayed it in a variety of useful ways. During my last few weeks at Siemens-VDO, I returned to doing simulations, but this time with a more complex model. My supervisor and department head were very interested in the results of my simulations, but they did not have a chance to verify my results by measurement while I was still there.

Comments: Although I had used Matlab and LabVIEW before working at Siemens, I gained a greater familiarity with the programs. My most valuable experience was perhaps working on a project concerning a subject that I initially knew very little about. As an electrical engineer, I knew very little about thermodynamics or fluid dynamics, but I had to learn these things in order to have the necessary theory for my simulations.

For further information, please write to norseman@stanford.edu