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Control and Communication & Signal Processing Lab


ACSP Lab Web Server


The lab is available for use as a study space. However, timetabled teaching activities will mean that the lab will be at full capacity for extended periods during the week during term time. You are advised to check the room's status before entering to work. New for 2024, the lab has been redesigned so two areas can be partioned, allowing for greater flexibility.

Welcome to the Communications and Signal Processing Laboratory

Key Personnel:

This Laboratory accommodates the experimental and project needs of several groups of students in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department. The first group is the students taking the MSc Communications and Signal Processing course, the second being UG students taking the Advanced Machine Learning module. The Control Systems PhD group carry out their crane and pendulum experiments, also during the autumn and spring terms.

Activity in the lab is greatly heightened during this period.


Below are some guidelines which directly concern the MSc students in Communications and Processing:

The Communications, Control and Signal Processing Laboratory in Room 303 has a split of All-in-One networked PCs, running Microsoft Windows 10, which are networked on the College-wide IC domain and 24 large monitors, should you wish to expand your laptop screen. In the side room, 303b, there are 3 PCs specifically for control experiments, you are not permitted to use these.

Some software is mounted on locally on these machines, but the majority is available through the Cloudpaging Player app. Titles include:

  • Code Composer Studio
  • Visual C++
  • MATLAB
  • LabView
  • Specialised in-house software libraries
  • DSP software & libraries
  • Special signal editors
  • Graphics packages
  • Specialised C++ libraries
  • Microsoft Office suite

The CSP laboratory hosts a number of advanced experiments, mainly software-based (MATLAB or C++), which have been designed to match the fast developments in the area of Communications and Signal Processing (see Lab booklet).

All the autumn experiments are offered only to MSc students.

A control systems experiment, featuring a crane, is situated separately within the side room, 303b. This runs during spring term and is operated on an attendance rota, so there should be only three students per 30 minute session. They will however require access to the equipment at other times. There are also an pendulum and drone experiments in this space, also Control group operated Please do not interfere with any of this equipment.


Due to an ever increasing demand for space within the College as a whole, the room may be allocated to other groups at short notice.


The Department adheres to the College Lone Working Policy. If you are considering working on your own in the lab after working hours, or at weekends, please ensure that you adhere to the College Lone Working Policy.

*** WARNING! ***

Please do not leave your laptop, or any valuable, personal items, unattended in the lab. You should not assume that, because the room has swipe card access, your personal belongings are safe if left unattended. Many people have access to the room and it is so easy to enter the room, by 'tailgating', without a card. If you leave the room, even for a few minutes, put valuables in your locker, that is what it is for. Every year, there is at least one laptop stolen from the room, make sure it isn't yours!!

The College, or Department, will not be held responsible for such losses.

========== CAUTION ==========

The air conditioning in the lab operates between the hours of 07:30-21:30, Monday to Friday. During the hot summer months, the temperature may rise to uncomfortable levels outside of these operating hours. The temptation will be to open the windows.

Under no circumstances should you climb onto benches or windowsills to attempt this.

The benches are not designed to withstand an adult's weight and the windows, although set so they can't be opened fully, offer no protection against a fall, in the unlikely event of the lock failing.

Not all student areas have air management systems, we need to work together to ensure the working conditions are suitable for all users.