Members of our laboratory conduct research on analog and digital VLSI devices, circuits, architectures and algorithms for intelligent sensory integrated systems design. Intelligent sensory integrated systems acquire sensory data, perform local intelligent signal processing, and provide actuation feedback, and/or user interface if needed, all on a single physical substrate, as shown in Figure 1.


Figure 1. The block diagram of an intelligent sensory microsystem.

The focus is on developing high-throughput, high-integration-density and low-power integrated sensory systems that are tailored for implementations on miniature wearable or implantable platforms. High throughput allows for real-time operation in applications with high computational complexity and high data rates. High density of integration yields low cost and small form factor. Low-power designs allow for the use of a miniature battery power supply, wireless power harvesting, or other low-energy power sources. On-chip intelligence enables such integrated systems to autonomously interact with the environment through adaptation and learning, making decisions and taking proper actions without the need for an explicit involvement of a user.

Such miniature intelligent sensory microsystems, operating autonomously in real time, find natural applications in medicine and biology, in tasks ranging from real-time in-situ medical imaging to autonomous diagnostics and treatment, disability aids, automated pharmaceutical trials and animal studies. Other applications include various uses in automotive industry, security and defence sectors, environmental studies and consumer electronics among others.