Executive Summary

Software development and designing of Microsystems are strategically important areas of research for Pakistan to compete in today’s global research and development ecosystem.

In addition to developing expertise in VLSI (microelectronics) design and development, it is natural to expand government investment in other areas of Microsystems like Micro-electromechanical Systems i.e. MEMS, Optoelectronics and Microfluidics in both academic and industrial organizations. Such expertise must be in the areas of design, prototyping and testing of such micro devices.

There is a huge market of MEMS in the world. Most of the advanced countries are outsourcing their MEMS design work to Asian countries mainly due to availability of less expensive highly skilled manpower in these countries, thus resulting in economic prosperity.

This project plans and envisions sufficient design work on various MEMS devices and will also be able to offer such design services to international customers in next 2-3 years after creating enough skilled manpower inside Pakistan in this area. In this regard, Open Source libraries will be developed to showcase our work in front of the international community while sharing our design knowledge with them. The main focus of the project is to develop such library while using our design expertise in the area of MEMS and chip design.

Project Themes:

a.                 Open Source Cell Library Theme: Under this theme, Cell Library components for various MEMS devices shall be made accessible to public in open source software. The objective of this theme will be to develop the methodology and infrastructure for hosting MEMS cell libraries on GIKI’s web server.

b.                   MEMS Device Theme: Under this theme, some MEMS devices (gyroscope, accelerometer, microgrippers, brain electrodes) and associated microelectronics devices will be designed, prototyped and tested at GIKI’s MEMS Design and Test Lab. The simulation results and if possible characterized results will be placed in the proposed library.

Key Benefits:

• The open source library will become the national hub for hosting MEMS and microelectronics designs developed at other Pakistani university as well to show-case their work to the international market promoting MEMS and microelectronics design work of Pakistani researchers to outside world.
• This will accelerate the chip and MEMS design activities and will enable the development of critical mass of chip designers and developers in Pakistan. This will also help to bring practical aspect of VLSI and MEMS designs in academic courses.
• The project will initiate a local start-up company that will provide Microsystems design services mainly in MEMS and Microelectronics to national and international universities, government organizations and companies. This project will provide highly skilled manpower that may be a back bone to run this company.
• The open source library is expected to develop collaboration between GIKI and international universities and commercial organizations.