ISLAMABAD: Researchers at the National University of Sciences and Technology (Nust) have successfully completed testing of the country’s first indigenously-designed microprocessor, called NTiny-E.

The embedded microprocessor chip was designed by the research team of the Nust School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS).

Principal Dr Mohammad Ajmal Khan, Dr Rizwan Riaz and Assistant Professor Dr Rehan shared details of the project on Monday.

They said semiconductor chips were at the heart of all electronic devices and consumer appliances that we use every day. Global semiconductor sales reached $556 billion in 2021 but Pakistan has not been able to benefit from this lucrative market, they said, adding that a unique aspect of this project was its in-house design as opposed to the common practice of using open-source cores or foreign collaboration.

This makes NTiny-E a truly indigenous product that provides the design team complete leverage and control over all aspects of the chip, they said.

Nust selected the world’s largest and leading commercial foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for chip fabrication.

“This demonstrates the researchers’ ability to design chips that are compliant with international industrial design and fabrication standards.

“The event marks an important milestone in the national semiconductor landscape and puts Pakistan another step ahead on the path towards the realisation of Quaid’s vision of self-reliance,” read a statement issued by Nust.

It added that the team did not limit itself to the design of the chip itself but also developed a complete ecosystem required for chip testing and its incorporation into end products.

The printed circuit board for chip testing and prototyping of end systems has also been indigenously developed along with associated software and development tools.

This will facilitate researchers and industrial product developers to design and manufacture products based on NTiny-E.

The design and development team was led by Dr Rehan Ahmed. Other team members were Shaheer Sajid, Qazi Shahidullah, Abdul Moeed and Syed Talha Imam.

Dr Rehan has over 14 years of design experience in this area and worked at international companies including Siemens, Microsoft Research and Keysight (IXIA).

Remarkable contributions made by researchers were duly supported and facilitated by the top leadership at Nust including its Rector Engr Javed Mahmood Bukhari, Pro-Rector (Academics) Dr Osman Hasan, and Pro-Rector Rizwan Riaz.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2022