Physical Meaning of Digital Signal Processing: What Students May Think and What They Really Should Know

Abstract

Specialists know that the separation between two conceptual parts of the phrase “digital signal processing” goes after the word “digital” and not after the word “signal”. In other words, when we say “digital signal processing” (DSP), we mean digital processing of signals and not processing of digital signals. However, for students this difference may not be so obvious and, even after working with textbooks, some of them still define DSP as processing of digital signals. The problem with this way of thinking is that it leaves aside the true physical meaning of DSP and thus obscures the relationship of basic DSP concepts and other STEM subjects, such as General Physics or Digital Electronics. Present paper draws attention to the widespread students’ misconception about the essence of DSP, analyzes its origins and consequences, and provides the analysis required for overcoming this misconception.