Digital University Kerala (DUK) conducted a novel workshop on integrated circuit (IC) design for middle school-level students at the Centre of Excellence AI Chip Design Centre on Saturday.
The programme was organised in association with IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Circuits and Systems Society (CASS) for students of Classes 6 to 10. The hands-on learning programme focused on open-source tools to encourage the budding technologists to build, simulate and test their own circuits.
“The event is part of our endeavours to encourage innovation and show how important chips are in the modern world. The workshop aimed to bring focus back on the core technical field rather than just artificial intelligence (AI) and automation,” DUK Dean (Academics) and programme coordinator Alex James said.
Pointing out that ICs are the building blocks of modern electronics, Prof. James said these power everything from smartphones to spaceships. “But embarking on IC design often appears difficult that could be achieved only by professionals. The IC design workshop has busted the myth by bringing school kids to the world of IC design in a fun way,” he said.
According to Sreelal S., Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist and the chair of IEEE CASS Kerala chapter, the event marked a new journey for the organisation. Stressing on the relevance of the programme, he lamented the dearth of IC designers currently.
The organisers added that the open-source software lets people use important tools for IC creation without having to pay for them, which is usually the case with private software. This method makes information more accessible and enables those with an aptitude and interest in electronics to learn about IC design.
