ULPIoT goals
The investigation is focused on methods where relevant information is moved from the voltage axis - that is limited by voltage scaling - to the time axis - which is not affected by scaling.
Non- conventional A/D and D/A conversion techniques (e.g ADC based on Voltage-Controlled-Oscillator) will be explored.
All the calibration, post-processing and digital configuration techniques that can be performed algorithmically by taking advantage of the computational power of digital processors will be also investigated. This is to drive, assist, enhance and improve the operation and/or the performance of mostly digital elements.
Based on the results of such analysis, the design and fabrication of mostly-digital ICs fundamental building blocks based on the concepts developed in the initial part of the activity and targeting the specifications of real IoT applications will be addressed.
Techniques both from the analog IC design flow (e.g. transistor-level simulations and variability analysis) and from the digital world (e.g. behavioral simulation, algorithm development and digital control techniques) will be exploited.
Finally, a SoC for wearable electronics applications extensively employing mostly digital analog cells designed taking advantage of the methodologies developed in this research will be designed as a test vehicle and its performance will be experimentally assessed in the context of wearable device for bio-signal monitoring.
A drastic increment of the battery-autonomy (>100x) in comparison to the conventional IC design approach and a more compact size will be the evidence of the fully accomplishment of the present ambitious research project.
