Abstract
Serial communication standards are fundamental to modern electronic systems, allowing for billions of devices ranging from computers to smartphones to reliably exchange information. My technical project and STS research paper approach this technology from different perspectives. For my technical project, I designed and implemented a standalone electronic version of Dots and Boxes using a microcontroller and standardized communication. Meanwhile, my STS research investigated how organizations such as the USB Implementers Forum and IEEE shape serial communication standards and influence innovation, competition, and compatibility. Together, both projects show that successful engineering depends not only on sound technical design but also on understanding the institutions and governance structures that shape the technologies engineers create. The technical portion of my thesis produced a standalone implementation of the classic game Dots and Boxes using a microcontroller, LED matrix display, joystick, rotary encoder, pushbuttons, and seven-segment displays. Custom software controlled the game logic while serial communication enabled reliable interaction between the controller and peripheral components. Designing and debugging the system required solving hardware integration challenges and implementing dependable communication between embedded components. The completed system demonstrates how embedded hardware and software can recreate a traditional game within a self-contained electronic platform while highlighting the importance of standardized communication protocols even within relatively simple embedded systems. My STS research revealed that the governance of serial communication standard-setting organizations affects technological innovation, competition, and long-term interoperability. Using case studies of RS-232, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), and USB4, my research showed that technical standards go beyond just engineering specifications. Instead, they are negotiated technical agreements shaped by organizations balancing technical performance, market competitiveness, and industry collaboration. Decisions about openness, certification requirements, backward compatibility, and inclusion of various stakeholders shape product manufacturing and adoption. Understanding these governance processes helps engineers recognize that technical standards are complex sociotechnical systems capable of influencing both technological progress and future compatibility. Completing both projects demonstrated that engineering problems cannot be understood solely through technical analysis. While developing the Dots and Boxes system, difficulties implementing non-standardized serial communication reinforced many of the themes explored in my STS research regarding the importance of open standards and effective governance. Viewing the technical project through an STS perspective highlighted how organizational decisions made by standard-setting bodies ultimately influenced the design choices available to practicing engineers. Developing an embedded electronic system also demonstrated that accessible, interoperable, and well-governed standards contribute to reliable design. Working on these two projects reinforced that ethical engineering involves more than solely optimizing technical performance. Ethical engineering also requires thinking about institutions, stakeholders, and long-term societal impacts that shape development of technology.
