M.Tech. in Electronic Systems Design (ESD) is a new programme launched by IIITB in 2014. It is awarded upon successful completion of a 4-semester broad-based academic programme, with specialization either in System-on-Chip (SoC) or Embedded Systems. With the onset of a new wave of revolution being unleashed by the Internet of Things (IoT) due to the availability of extremely low cost and low power hardware platforms in the form of SoCs and Embedded System boards, we are seeing the emergence of a new convergence between hardware and software. Its potential is limited only by human imagination and its impact is being seen in the rapid evolution it is fostering in different domains such as automation, e-health, mobile communication, smart home, automotive sector, consumer electronics, pervasive computing, computer architecture, etc. The new M. Tech. (ESD) program is being launched to meet the above vision and objectives.
IIIT-B started a new M.Tech. program in 2014 offering degree in Electronic Systems Design (ESD). The genesis of this program is to help address the growth of the highly skilled manpower in Chip Design and Embedded System Design needed to support electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) in our country, in alignment with the national and state policies to foster growth and entrepreneurship in ESDM as outlined by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DIETY) of the Government of India, and the Government of Karnataka, respectively.
One emerging area where such skilled manpower will be needed in large numbers is in the domain of Internet of Things (IoTs) which is fostering a rapid revolution in different domains such as industrial automation, e-health, mobile communication, smart homes, automotives, space, aviation, railways, agriculture, logistics, consumer electronics, pervasive computing, computer architecture and ambient intelligence.
The M. Tech. program in ESD is envisaged to meet the above objectives.
The 2-year degree program allows students to specialize in two possible areas:
The M.Tech. program is a four semester program. The first three semesters of the program constitute academic course work. During the fourth semester, a student can either take up an industry internship, or pursue academic research in the institute leading to a M. Tech. thesis.
The M.Tech. program also includes a unique 3-week period at the beginning of the program called a “Preparatory Semester.” The preparatory semester in intended to bring all the incoming students up to a uniform background that is considered essential to embark on an M. Tech. degree in electronic system design. This semester covers an introductory programming module and a lab module on electronics hardware.
After the 3-week preparatory term, the first semester of the M.Tech. program consists of foundational courses in ESD that include the fundamentals of digital VLSI design, analog VLSI design, essential discrete mathematics, operating systems, embedded systems and data structures & algorithms.
The second and third semesters build on the foundation with elective courses. The student now may specialize in either SOC Design or Embedded Systems. Across the second and third semesters, the students take at least five elective courses in their area of specialization and an additional three open elective courses (some of which may include research and other individual or group projects supervised by a faculty member). The final semester is designated for industry internship, or a research thesis.
The first batch of M.Tech. (ESD) students will graduate in June, 2016. 100% of these students have already obtained industrial internships for their fourth semester through the IIIT-B Placement Cell. By March, 2016, they will all have been placed in full-time jobs, with highly competitive starting salary packages.
Dr. Chetan Parikh and Dr. Subhajit Sen
Analog and mixed-signal circuit and system design, with special emphases in energy harvesting and power management for IoT devices, embedded-systems for biomedical applications, and organic thin-film transistor circuits on flexible substrates.
Dr. Subir Roy
Formal Verification (Hardware & Hybrid System – Analog Mixed Signal), Power Estimation, Performance Analysis, CAD for VLSI and Embedded Systems.
Dr. Srinath Naidu
Electronic design automation including statistical timing analysis and optimisation for digital circuits, power analysis and optimization and formal verification.
Dr. Madhav Rao
Medical electronics, 3D Interconnect engineering, and digital circuits.