Michigan Integrated Circuits Laboratory (MICL)

University of Michigan

World’s Smallest Computer

As computing devices progress toward smaller and more efficient designs, Michigan Engineers have taken the lead in millimeter sized units that can perform on many alternating platforms. Dennis Sylvester and David Blaauw have developed units capable of harvesting solar power to utilize wireless communication, pressure and temperature sensors and even still image and video processing.

Powering the Internet of Things

Imagine a gym shirt that tells an app your body temp and heart rate, or could alert you before an asthma attack happens. What if your plant fertilizer reminded your cell phone when it was time to water? The Internet of Things, and Prof. David Wentzloff, will soon make things like this a reality. )

News Feed

Joseph Costello awarded Rackham Predoc to support research on brain-machine interfaces

Costello is working to restore mobility to individuals by developing improved brain-machine interfaces.

Augmented reality system for accessible play, iGYM, goes international

Using iGYM’s computer vision module, the U-M team partnered with the University of Tsukuba’s FUTUREGYM Team to develop new interactive games that allow children of all abilities to play together.

U-Michigan a partner in two CHIPS Act Midwest microelectronics hubs

The latest DoD funding announcements bolster Michigan Engineering’s efforts to support revitalization of the U.S. semiconductor sector.

Kyumin Kwon’s research on automating analog circuit design earns Best Paper Award at SMACD23

Kwon combines a human knowledge-based model with an existing digital synthesis tool to significantly increase the speed of characterization and design for large scale analog circuits.

Michael Flynn receives CoE Staff-Faculty Partnership Award

Prof. Flynn is remarkably respectful of all the staff he interacts with, while also showing great transparency and kindness.

Six ECE faculty will help shape the future of semiconductors as part of the JUMP 2.0 program

Elaheh Ahmadi, David Blaauw, Michael Flynn, Hun-Seok Kim, Hessam Mahdavifar, and Zhengya Zhang bring their expertise and creativity to this nationwide undertaking in the area of semiconductors and information & communication technologies.

Open-source hardware: a growing movement to democratize IC design

Dr. Mehdi Saligane, a leader in the open-source chip design community, was among the first researchers to fabricate a successful chip as part of Google’s multi-project wafer program.

Dennis Sylvester Elected to National Academy of Inventors

Sylvester’s inventions in low-power chip design have led to multiple startup companies and products found in hundreds of millions of devices.

Dennis Sylvester named Edward S. Davidson Collegiate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

[Watch the lecture] Sylvester’s innovations in ultra-low-power computing led to the Michigan Micro Mote, the world’s smallest computer.

Best paper for a low-power ADC circuit for brain-machine interface applications

Euisik Yoon’s team, led by Sungjin Oh, developed a low-power neural recording front-end circuit to interface with state-of-the-art neural probes.

Jesse Codling wins Best Presentation award for sensors that help protect these little piggies in their pens

Known affectionately as “The Sh*tty Project,” Codling, an ECE PhD student, monitors the vibrations in pig pens to track the health of the piglets and predict when they’re in danger.

ECE at the center of Celebrate Invention: 2022

Wei Lu talked about his innovations as the 2022 Distinguished University Innovator, followed by a panel discussion about the University’s role in fueling new high tech companies in the area.

Mike Flynn named Fawwaz T. Ulaby Collegiate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Flynn is one of the world’s premier scholars of analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits and systems, analog-to-digital conversion (ADC), and other interface circuits.

Prof. David Blaauw inducted into MICRO Hall of Fame

Blaauw and his group are also recipients of numerous best paper awards and honors, including the MICRO Test of Time award

CHIPS and Science Act: Implications and Opportunities

The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 promises to revitalize the U.S. semiconductor industry. Dennis Sylvester offers his perspective on what it means for ECE.

The ethical implications of tech, and why it matters for engineers

Through the Ford School’s Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program, ECE PhD student Trevor Odelberg is studying how engineers can take better responsibility for the way their research impacts society.

Batteryless next-generation cellular devices could empower a more sustainable future

PhD student Trevor Odelberg is looking to enable long range, highly reliable, and low-power cellular IoT devices that one day can run entirely on harvested energy, reducing battery waste and empowering devices to last for decades.

Three researchers earn MICRO Test of Time for groundbreaking timing speculation work

Todd Austin, David Blaauw, Trevor Mudge, and a group of alumni were recognized by ACM MICRO for their landmark 2003 paper.

Michigan startup MemryX, Inc. promises faster, cheaper AI processing

The ECE startup builds neuromorphic computer chips uniquely suitable for AI applications

Snails carrying the world’s smallest computer help solve mass extinction survivor mystery

The study yields new insights into the survival of a native snail important to Tahitian culture and ecology and to biologists studying evolution, while proving the viability of similar studies of very small animals including insects

Prof. Pei Zhang solemnly swears that he’s up to some good

In a project he calls the “Marauder’s Map,” Prof. Zhang uses machine learning-based data models, physics models, and heuristic models to turn physical structures into sensing devices.

Research to advance low-power speech recognition highlighted by Intel

Michael Flynn and his group are applying their groundbreaking work in beamforming to the challenge of low-power on-chip speech recognition.

Precision health in the palm of your hand

Recent breakthrough developments in technologies for real-time genome sequencing, analysis, and diagnosis are poised to deliver a new standard of personalized care.

First digital single-chip millimeter-wave beamformer will exploit 5G capabilities

The digital beamforming chip offers significant advantages over current analog beamforming solutions.

Tracking Monarch Butterfly Migration with the World’s Smallest Computer

In a project funded by National Geographic, ECE researchers are teaming up with the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology to advance our understanding of monarch butterfly migration with the most ambitious iteration of the Michigan Micro Mote yet.

Prof. Mike Flynn receives Rackham Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award

Flynn is one of five U-M professors honored with this award, which recognizes his excellence in mentoring doctoral students and commitment to fostering a supportive academic environment.

Trevor Odelberg receives NDSEG Fellowship to help run the world with low power batteryless circuits

PhD student Trevor Odelberg’s low power circuits help us make sense of our environment while reducing battery waste.

Matthew Belz receives NDSEG Fellowship to improve the safety of autonomous systems

PhD student Matthew Belz will work to develop jamming-resistant radar systems for autonomous vehicles.

Battery-free sensor startup takes aim at industrial efficiency

Part of the team that brought us the world’s smallest computer in 2015 brings the future of computing technology into the present.

Improved neural probe can pose precise questions without losing parts of the answers

It will now be possible to study brain activity when timing is important, such as the consolidation of memory.

“Ultra low-power receivers for IoT applications” wins Outstanding Invited Paper

Prof. David Wentzloff’s paper examining the trends and techniques to achieve ultra-low power receivers was honored by the IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference

David Blaauw named Kensall D. Wise Collegiate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Blaauw’s innovations in low-power computing led to development of the Michigan Micro Mote, the world’s smallest computer.

Upgrading signal interfaces for better wearable devices

PhD student Hsiang-Wen Chen, who works to improve integrated circuits, was awarded the Chia-Lun Lo Fellowship.

Hun-Seok Kim receives CAREER Award to facilitate Internet of Things connectivity

Kim takes an interdisciplinary approach to tackle challenges in heterogeneous classes of energy-efficient and versatile communication systems.

Two members of ECE will represent U-M at the 2019 Rising Stars in EECS Workshop

The intensive workshop brings together outstanding women who are graduate students or postdocs interested in pursuing academic careers in electrical engineering and computer science.

Two ‘U’ researchers receive Distinguished University Innovator Award

The Michigan Daily profiles Professors David Blaauw and Dennis Sylvester, who are this year’s recipients of the 2019 Distinguished University Innovator Award.

Blaauw, Sylvester are 2019 Distinguished University Innovators

Pioneering computer technology that is spurring innovation and disruption across industries has earned David Blaauw and Dennis Sylvester, professors of electrical engineering and computer science, this year’s Distinguished University Innovator Award.

First programmable memristor computer aims to bring AI processing down from the cloud

Circuit elements that store information in their electrical resistances enable a brain-like form of computing, storing and processing information in the same place.

Afshari group receives Best Invited Paper award at the 2019 IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference

Terahertz and sub-terahertz imaging can provide superior results in some biomedical imaging, spectroscopy, and water saturation detection.

A high-efficiency GaAs solar cell to power the Internet of Tiny Things

The Michigan Micro Mote gets a new gallium arsenide solar cell for added power and adaptability.

SLAM-ming good hardware for drone navigation

Researchers built the first visual SLAM processor on a single chip that provides highly accurate, low-power, and real-time results.

Blood biopsy: New technique enables detailed genetic analysis of cancer cells

Capturing cancer cells from blood samples offers a non-invasive way to observe whether the cancer is disappearing or whether it is becoming resistant to the treatment.

U-M startup raises $6 million in venture funding

Movellus is a U-M startup founded by alumni Dr. Mo Faisal (now CEO) and Dr. Jeff Fredenburg (now VP of Engineering).

Communicating with the world’s smallest computers

Researchers built the first millimeter-scale transmitter and antenna that can talk Bluetooth Low Energy with ease.

Crafting better digital systems with ECE PhD student Jie-Fang Zhang

Zhang is recognized with the Chia-Lun Lo Fellowship for his work designing hardware solutions that could help support computer vision and machine learning.

More efficient machine vision technology modeled on human vision

Prof. Robert Dick and advisee Ekdeep Singh Lubana developed a new technique that significantly improves the efficiency of machine vision applications

Prof. Zhengya Zhang receives CoE undergraduate education award

Prof. Zhang receives outstanding evaluations from students and opens their imagination to research in the field of VLSI circuits and systems.

Beyond Moore’s law: $16.7M for advanced computing projects

DARPA’s initiative to reinvigorate the microelectronics industry draws deeply on Michigan Engineering expertise.

Michigan chips will be first to test next-generation hardware design tools

U-M team will serve as model for nimble and innovative system-on-chip design.

A new hybrid chip that can change its own wiring

The speedy and efficient system-on-chip could unify wireless communication.

Enabling anyone to design hardware with a new open-source tool

Six-month hardware design process will be turned into 24-hour automated task.

Hun-Seok Kim receives DARPA Young Faculty Award to advance research in IoT networks

Kim’s research is expected to impact the future design and wireless operation of the next generation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices

An even smaller world’s smallest ‘computer’

The latest from IBM and now the University of Michigan is redefining what counts as a computer at the microscale.

Seed-sized U-M computers pumped into oil wells featured at the Houston Museum of Natural Science

Millimeter-sized computers log the temperature and pressure from deep within oil wells.

Fred Buhler builds better chips for “Aweslome” applications

Fred Buhler founded Aweslome to provide custom-build chips for a broad range of applications, including machine learning, neural networks, security, and circuits testing.

2017 ISCA Influential Paper Award for groundbreaking research in power-efficient computing

This award recognizes the paper published 15 years ago (2002) that has had the biggest impact on the field

SSCS Distinguished Lecturer Edith Beigné on auto-adaptive digital circuits

Beigné is a senior scientist at the “most innovative research organization”

Michigan’s millimeter-scale computers featured at ISSCC2017, and in IEEE Spectrum

Professors Blaauw and Sylvester showcase capabilities of tiny computing

CubeWorks: Solving problems with the world’s smallest and lowest-power computers

Cubeworks receives its first external funding to manufacture millimeter-scale computing devices

Alum startup wins $25,000 at Accelerate Michigan Competition

Movellus Circuits won $25,000 in the University Research Highlight and People’s Choice categories

David Blaauw honored with SIA/SRC University Research Award

Prof. Blaauw was a key member of the team that developed the world’s first millimeter-scale computer, known as the Michigan Micro Mote (M3).

Injectable computers can broadcast from inside the body

This platform has enabled a variety of sensors that can fit inside the human body, made possible by several breakthroughs in ultra-low power computing.

Injectable computers

With a radio specifically designed to communicate through tissue, researchers from the Electrical and Computer Engineering are adding another level to a computer platform small enough to fit inside a medical grade syringe.

Avish Kosari selected as Barbour Scholar for Research in low-power devices for the Internet of Things

Avish conducts research on ultra-low power and battery-less integrated circuits.

MBus is the missing interconnect for millimeter-scale systems

The M3 is a fully autonomous computing system that acts as a smart sensing system.

Googling the physical world

IoT applications are the next wave of computing and the next driving force of the semiconductor industry. The startup PsiKick [now Everactive] is helping shape this future.

3 ECE companies make the Silicon 60 List – again!

Ambiq Micro, Crossbar, Inc., and PsiKick, are leading the way in ultra-low power chip design, pioneering computer memory, and ultra-low power wireless sensor platforms.

Michigan Micro Mote (M3) makes history as the world’s smallest computer

A brief history of what led to the technical feat known as the Michigan Micro Mote, a tiny speck of a computer that does it all.

Student team reaches Qualcomm finals with their proposal for a wearable haptic device

The goal of the project is to augment the transmission of audio and video with the sense of touch.

Prof. Michael Flynn elected IEEE Fellow for contributions to analog-digital interfaces

Flynn has achieved important breakthroughs in the performance and energy efficiency of analog-digital interfaces.

Prof. Robert Dick to apply cyber information to air quality management

The grant is part of a new $12.5M initiative by the National Science Foundation to encourage computing innovations for a sustainable society.

Scott Hanson receives 2014 Arbor Networks Ph.D. Research Impact Award

Dr. Hanson is the co-founder of a startup semiconductor company that plans to lead the low-power revolution in electronics by powering the Internet of Things.

Khalil Najafi receives 2015 IEEE Daniel E. Noble Award for emerging technologies

The IEEE Daniel E. Noble award is a Technical Field Award, which is among the highest awards given.

PsiKick startup attracts financing for its Internet of Things technology

The chips’ extreme energy efficiency enables them to be powered without a battery from harvested energy sources like vibration, thermal gradients, and more.

Muhammad Faisal wins business competition with technology critical to the Internet of Things

Movellus Circuits’ product is a patent-pending clock generator technology that is smaller, cheaper, and faster than existing solutions.

Students rewarded for their circuit designs in EECS 413

The course, Monolithic Amplifier Circuits, has a tradition of offering prizes for the top final projects designed by the students.

Making the Internet of Things happen

Wentzloff aims to remove the necessity of a power outlet or even a battery to power miniature sensors.

Michigan @ ISSCC 2013: Alumni and Friends Mixer

“Many of these people have known each other for years; it’s a great time to catch up.”

Image processing 1,000 times faster is goal of new $5M contract

Lu plans to design and fabricate a computer chip based on so-called self-organizing, adaptive neural networks.

Bharan Giridhar awarded Intel PhD Fellowship

Bharan’s research focusses on developing circuit techniques for adaptive and reliable high-performance computing.

Zhengya Zhang receives Intel Early Career Award

Zhang’s research is in the area of low-power and high-performance VLSI circuits and systems.

2013 Design Automation Conference Anniversary Awards

Congratulations to the award-winning faculty members and to the DAC for 50 years!

Researchers funded to develop a leap forward in Processor Architectures

The project proposes to produce a parallel heterogeneous 3D near-threshold computing system with unprecedented energy efficiency.

Student teams earn prizes for their ADC circuit designs in EECS 511

Prof. Dennis Sylvester receives U-M Faculty Recognition Award

He is a pioneer in the field of ultra-low power processor design, especially for the smallest computing devices in existence.

Gyouho Kim awarded Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship for research in ultra-low power optical interfaces for mm-scale wireless sensor nodes

“We designed an ultra-low power optical wake-up receiver with a novel front-end circuit and communication scheme suitable for miniature wireless sensor node applications.”

Bharan Giridhar awarded Rackham Predoctoral Fellowship for research in circuit techniques for adaptive, reliable, high-performance computing

Giridhar’s research has an emphasis on developing circuit techniques for adaptive and reliable, high-performance computing.

David Blaauw and Dennis Sylvester named Top Authors by ISSCC

Both research papers discuss ultra low-power chip design and millimeter-scale computing.

David Wentzloff receives CAREER Award for research in energy-autonomous systems

His research addresses critical needs in the area of wireless communication for the growing field of ubiquitous, energy-autonomous sensing devices.

Students in EECS 413 awarded prizes for their circuit designs

The specifications for the projects were close to the state of the art. Congratulations to the winning groups!

Nathan Roberts earns Best Paper Award for research to assist in remote patient monitoring

Roberts is helping to develop low-power sensor nodes that will be worn on the body to detect certain medical conditions.

2012 ICCAD Ten Year Retrospective Most Influential Paper Award to Prof. Blaauw, Prof. Mudge, and EECS alumni Dr. Martin and Dr. Flautner

The research addressed voltage scaling of processors at the point where, at very low voltages, voltage leakage begins to dominate the computational power consumption.

Developing the wireless component for personalized health devices

The program aims to create wearable systems that monitor a person’s environment and health in search of connections between pollutants and chronic diseases.

UG Research Spotlight: Fred Buhler spends his summer improving circuit testing

The project involved designing new boards and writing test software, as well as writing software to control instruments and some integrated circuit design.

Student teams earn prizes for their analog/digital interface circuit designs in EECS 511

The students, lead by Prof. Michael Flynn, competed for cash prizes—the two winners were chosen by Analog Devices.

Michael McCorquodale named 2012 UBM Electronics ACE Innovator of the Year

“Without McCorquodale’s vision, unwavering persistence, and leadership in the face of decades of thinking to the contrary, CMOS oscillators would not exist today.”

Students awarded prizes for their class designs of an energy harvesting circuit and a high efficiency audio amplifier

The two winning teams designed an energy harvesting circuit for implantable devices and sensor networks, and a high efficiency audio amplifier for mobile applications.

2012 EECS Outstanding Achievement Awards

Congratulations to these amazing faculty members!

Prof. David Blaauw Elected Fellow of the IEEE

Prof. Blaauw was a core member of the Michigan team that developed the award-winning circuit known as Razor in 2003.

Laura Freyman awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Freyman is studying Electrical Engineering and is a member of the Michigan Integrated Circuits Laboratory.

Powering breakthrough technologies

Ambiq Micro could revolutionize ubiquitous computing, with energy-efficient microcontrollers that are 10 times more energy efficient than conventional microprocessors.

Yoonmyung Lee receives 2011 Intel Corporation PhD Fellowship

Lee is currently working closely with his colleagues to build an ultra-low power wireless sensor platform.

Making smart dust a reality

This research is expected to have a fundamental and long term impact on a diverse set of applications ranging from energy conservation to health care.

AMD/Michigan Student Design Contest

Congratulations to the winning students!

U-M Alumni and Friends Mixer at ISSCC 2011

Toward computers that fit on a pen tip: New technologies usher in the millimeter-scale computing era

U-M faculty have developed what is believed to be the first complete millimeter-scale computing system, with applications in radio communication and wireless sensing.

Three EECS Teams are winners in 2011 DAC/ISSCC Student Design Contest

The contest is highly competitive and features the best student projects from the largest and most prestigious conferences in their respective fields.

Xi Chen and Prof. Robert Dick receive DATE Best Paper Award

The authors analyzed performance and accuracy for a variety of dynamic thermal analysis techniques and used their findings to develop a new analysis technique. Congratulations!

Zhengya Zhang receives NSF CAREER Award

The proposed research addresses the frontiers of error-correction coding and very-large-scale integration by advancing algorithms and circuit techniques.

EECS 413 students earn prizes for their final projects

“We were all impressed by the fact that most students chose highly-relevant and innovating projects,” stated Dr. Naraghi.

Paving the way for ubiquitous computing

Until now, ubiquitous computing has been hampered by the size of necessary batteries—but Ambiq Micro is changing that, with their energy-efficient micro-controllers.

Prof. Dennis Sylvester elected Fellow of the IEEE

According to IEEE, “the grade of Fellow recognizes unusual distinction in the profession and shall be conferred upon a person with an extraordinary record of accomplishments.”

Zhengya Zhang earns Best Paper Award at Symposium on VLSI Circuits

The resulting 65nm CMOS test chip achieved an energy efficiency of 21 pJ/bit making it a promising candidate for low-power, high-performance applications.

Ambiq Micro: Taking a startup to the next level

“Imagine a microprocessor so tiny and long lasting that it can be implanted in the eye of a glaucoma sufferer to measure the progress of the disease.”

Millimeter-scale, energy-harvesting sensor system developed

The system could enable new biomedical implants as well as home-, building- and bridge-monitoring devices.

Analog Devices Finds Winning A/D Circuit Designs in EECS 511

Congratulations to Jeong, Park, and Yoon!

EECS professors receive research grants from Google

The research funded by Google involves redesigning servers and data centers to improve their energy efficiency.

Prof. David Wentzloff awarded Young Faculty Award (YFA) by DARPA

Wentzloff is working to develop a wireless 3D interconnection fabric that can provide communication channels and crossbar routing.

Sensing Sensors: NSF Funding News Ways to Monitor Infrastructure for Safety

The program aims to develop revolutionary wireless sensor node, optimized for infrastructure monitoring.

EECS researchers receive Best Paper Award at ISLPED

The paper explores logic and memory circuit topologies for a new type of transistor in development at IBM.

Matthew Fojtik awarded Intel Foundation/SRCEA Fellowship

The fellowship will support Fojtik’s work on a processor that can recover from timing errors and run without margining for worst case operating conditions.

Austin and Blaauw Receive 2008 Richard Newton GSRC Industrial Impact Award

The award recognized research that is “at least five years old and has had significant industrial impact.”