Latest news with #FabLab
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Fab future: IIIT Hyderabad unveils state-of-the-art microfabrication and semiconductor lab
IIIT-Hyderabad MUMBAI: In a gleaming cleanroom nestled within the campus of IIIT Hyderabad, a quiet revolution in India's semiconductor story has just begun. The institute's latest pride—the 'FabLab'—was officially inaugurated today by its Director, Prof. P J Narayanan, marking a significant leap toward indigenous research in microfabrication and chip characterization. Funded under the Department of Science and Technology's Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE) scheme, the lab is not just a facility—it's a promise. A promise to advance India's ambition to be self-reliant in semiconductor technologies and to fuel innovation in healthcare applications through biosensors and bio-actuators. For a country still largely dependent on imported semiconductor components, this development signals a critical shift. 'This lab is a game-changer,' said Dr. Aftab Hussain, the principal investigator and coordinator for the PURSE grant at IIIT-H. 'It is not just about equipment, but about capacity-building—training students, researchers, and even regional stakeholders in how to design, build, and characterize semiconductors from the ground up. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Shop Sale Libas Undo ' You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Inside the lab, it's a symphony of precision instruments—UV lithography units stand ready to etch delicate patterns onto substrates, while sputtering systems and spin coaters silently layer materials with nanometer accuracy. A vacuum chamber hums in anticipation of the next experiment, and material characterization tools like the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and optical profilometer await to analyze the fine details invisible to the naked eye. But what truly sets this lab apart is its edge in semiconductor IC testing and mmWave characterization—a key enabler for next-gen technologies like 5G, automotive radar, and high-speed wireless communication. A probe station, paired with a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), Vector Signal Generator (VSG), signal analyzer, and high-bandwidth oscilloscope, can now simulate and test integrated circuits with surgical accuracy at millimeter wave frequencies. The FabLab is poised to become a playground for interdisciplinary research—where material science meets VLSI design, and where biomedical engineering intersects with wireless communication. 'We intend to open this facility to external users in the region,' Dr. Hussain emphasized. 'This is not an island of excellence. It's meant to be a resource for all.' More than just a lab, FabLab is an incubator of ideas and talent. IIIT-Hyderabad now plans to roll out specialized courses and hands-on workshops, grooming a new generation of researchers, engineers, and innovators fluent in the language of chips and circuits. It's a timely move, aligning neatly with India's larger vision for semiconductor sovereignty as laid out by the central government. Founded in 1998, the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, has always walked the talk when it comes to interdisciplinary research with a social impact. Its work spans a rich matrix of domains—from VLSI and wireless communication to robotics, language technologies, earthquake engineering, and computational natural sciences. This lab, though, represents a crystallization of many of those ambitions in physical form. As India ramps up its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities through initiatives like the India Semiconductor Mission, small yet vital ecosystems like the one now blooming at IIIT-Hyderabad will form the backbone of this technological renaissance. The lab's virtual walkthrough is already live here—but what it truly promises may be too microscopic to capture on video. Because somewhere between the atoms of sputtered metal and the signals traced in the mmWave band, India's chip-making dreams just got a little bit closer.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Evers visits Chippewa Falls, discusses mental health programming
CHIPPEWA FALLS — Gov. Tony Evers stopped by Chippewa Falls High School on Thursday, touring the Fab Lab and tech ed classrooms, hearing about plans to expand mental health programming, and even saw a performance by the school's wire choir. 'One of the reasons I was here was to hear their good work in mental health,' Evers said at the conclusion of a tour that lasted more than an hour. 'And they are doing a lot of good things here.' Jamie Ganske, principal at the Chippewa Valley (alternative) High School and mental health & resiliency counselor, told Evers that the district partners with 30 agencies to provide mental health to students. She said the need climbed post-COVID and has remained at a high level. 'We are well over 5% of our students utilizing mental health services over the course of a school day,' Ganske told Evers. The district received a five-year grant that helps pay for the Student and Family Assistance Program, she said. Evers said his proposed budget includes a significant investment in mental health at schools, adding that he has seen support from Republicans for those programs. 'Clearly this has taken mental health to a different level, a higher level,' Evers said. Evers added: 'I don't know if we'll be making things specific in the budget. My goal is to get as much money out the door to schools as possible.' Evers said the tech education and Fab Lab classes and talked with the Skills USA students about the items they are making and the problem-solving examples they have learned. Eric Andreo, a senior, said the laser printers and software allows students to make almost anything they can imagine. 'It teaches you about solving real-world problems,' Andreo told Evers. 'It's taught me a lot about engineering and what I want to go into.' The Chi Hi Wire Choir, who are headed to state this weekend, also performed two songs for the governor, playing their orchestra instruments while dancing to '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' from the film 'Dirty Dancing.' In some comments at the conclusion of the tour, Evers was asked about the state's policy if an ICE agent enters a state government building. Evers, a Democrat, contends that Republicans have overblown his policy. He said the goal is for each agency to make sure they have an attorney present for an encounter with an ICE agent. 'It's a legal process,' he said. 'We are not stopping ICE. We are just making sure our employees have an attorney with them.'
