Toolkits for Real Time Digital Audio Signal Processing Teaching Laboratory

This paper describes an audio digital signal-processing toolkit that the authors develop to supplement a lecture course on digital signal processing (DSP) taught at the department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University of Rwanda. In engineering education, laboratory work is a very important component for a holistic learning experience. However, even though today there is an increasing availability of programmable DSP hardware that students can largely benefit from, many poorly endowed universities cannot afford a costly full-fledged DSP laboratory. To help remedy this problem, the authors have developed C#.NET toolkits, which can be used for real-time digital audio signal processing laboratory. These toolkits can be used with any managed languages, like Visual Basic, C#, F# and managed C++. They provide frequently used modules for digital audio processing such as filtering, equalization, spectrum analysis, audio playback, and sound effects. It is anticipated that by creating a flexible and reusable components, students will not only learn fundamentals of DSP but also get an insight into the practicability of what they have learned in the classroom.