Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.

Lecture

Analog Circuit Advantages: Wien Bridge Oscillator

In course

ME-412: Experimental methods in engineering mechanics

This course gives an advanced treatment of experimental methods in the context of mechanics by way of example. Students will construct significant components of experimental apparatus, use their apparatus to collect data, interpret the resulting data, and ...

Description

This lecture demonstrates the merits of analog electronics through the classic Wien bridge oscillator circuit, showcasing its simplicity, power, tunability, sine wave oscillation, wide dynamic range, and amplitude stability. The circuit includes basic elements like capacitors, resistors, and a lamp as a nonlinear resistor in the feedback loop. A comparison is made with a complex function generator, highlighting the cleaner signal output and lower harmonics of the analog setup.

This video is available exclusively on Mediaspace for a restricted audience. Please log in to MediaSpace to access it if you have the necessary permissions.

Watch on Mediaspace

Instructor

John Martin Kolinski

Dr. Kolinski studied Applied Mathematics (Sc.M.) and Applied Physics (Ph.D.) at Harvard University, completing a PhD under the supervision of L. Mahadevan and Shmuel Rubinstein on the role of air in droplet impact. John did his post-doc at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel supported by the Fulbright post-doctoral fellowship. At HUJI, he worked on interfacial instabilities in soft matter in the labs of Eran Sharon and Jay Fineberg. John continues his research into interfacial mechanics at EPFL in EMSI, his newly founded laboratory for the study of Engineering Mechanics of Soft Interfaces.

Official source

Related concepts (18)

Dynamic range

Dynamic range (abbreviated DR, DNR, or DYR) is the ratio between the largest and smallest values that a certain quantity can assume. It is often used in the context of signals, like sound and light. It is measured either as a ratio or as a base-10 (decibel) or base-2 (doublings, bits or stops) logarithmic value of the difference between the smallest and largest signal values. Electronically reproduced audio and video is often processed to fit the original material with a wide dynamic range into a narrower recorded dynamic range that can more easily be stored and reproduced; this processing is called dynamic range compression.

High dynamic range

High dynamic range (HDR) is a dynamic range higher than usual, synonyms are wide dynamic range, extended dynamic range, expanded dynamic range. The term is often used in discussing the dynamic range of various signals such as s, videos, audio or radio. It may apply to the means of recording, processing, and reproducing such signals including analog and digitized signals. The term is also the name of some of the technologies or techniques allowing to achieve high dynamic range images, videos, or audio.

Dynamic range compression

Dynamic range compression (DRC) or simply compression is an audio signal processing operation that reduces the volume of loud sounds or amplifies quiet sounds, thus reducing or compressing an audio signal's dynamic range. Compression is commonly used in sound recording and reproduction, broadcasting, live sound reinforcement and in some instrument amplifiers. A dedicated electronic hardware unit or audio software that applies compression is called a compressor.

Feedback

Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are routed back as inputs as part of a chain of cause-and-effect that forms a circuit or loop. The system can then be said to feed back into itself. The notion of cause-and-effect has to be handled carefully when applied to feedback systems: Simple causal reasoning about a feedback system is difficult because the first system influences the second and second system influences the first, leading to a circular argument.

Sine wave

A sine wave, sinusoidal wave, or sinusoid is a mathematical curve defined in terms of the sine trigonometric function, of which it is the graph. It is a type of continuous wave and also a smooth periodic function. It occurs often in mathematics, as well as in physics, engineering, signal processing and many other fields. Its most basic form as a function of time (t) is: where: A, amplitude, the peak deviation of the function from zero. f, ordinary frequency, the number of oscillations (cycles) that occur each second of time.

Related lectures (33)

Electroacoustics: Notions of Acoustics

Covers fundamental concepts of electroacoustics, including frequency response, sensitivity, efficiency, power, and directivity.

Image Acquisition

Covers the basics of image acquisition, including optical devices, resolution factors, lens distortions, and sensor technologies.

Feedback Control Systems: PID Regulator Synthesis

Explores closed-loop control systems, PID regulator design, and performance analysis.

Model Reference Method: PID Regulator Design

Explores the Model Reference Method for designing PID regulators and cascade controllers for complex systems.

X-ray Detectors: Properties and Signal-to-Noise Ratio