Bridging the Gap Between Silicon and Society: Inside IIIT Hyderabad’s Lab Working Across the Full Electronics Stack
Unlike traditional research models where integrated circuits, signal processing and applications operate in silos, the IC-WiBES group works across all three layers simultaneously.
Hyderabad: As India accelerates its semiconductor ambitions, researchers at IIIT Hyderabad are building indigenous electronics systems that span the full technology stack – from custom chip design and millimetre-wave circuits to privacy-preserving sensing and intelligent healthcare applications.
At the centre of this effort is the Integrated Circuits – Inspired by Wireless and Biomedical Systems (IC-WiBES) research group led by Prof. Abhishek Srivastava. The lab follows a vertically integrated approach, designing not just chips, but complete systems that move seamlessly from silicon to real-world deployment.
From Silicon to Systems
Unlike traditional research models where integrated circuits, signal processing and applications operate in silos, the IC-WiBES group works across all three layers simultaneously. This “dual-track” model enables the team to design application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) while building full-scale systems around them, ensuring hardware is shaped by field realities rather than theoretical benchmarks.
The researchers argue that while off-the-shelf electronics suffice for many consumer applications, strategic domains such as healthcare monitoring, privacy-sensitive sensing, space missions and national infrastructure demand customised solutions. By designing ASICs tailored to specific use cases, the team aims to achieve higher flexibility, precision and energy efficiency than commercial hardware alternatives.
Advancing Millimetre-Wave Radar
A key research focus is millimetre-wave (mmWave) radar sensing – widely used in automotive safety but still emerging in civic and healthcare applications. Unlike cameras, mmWave radar operates effectively in low light, fog, rain and dust while preserving privacy.
By transmitting and receiving high-frequency signals, the systems can detect motion, distance and even subtle physiological movements, such as chest vibrations during breathing.
Contactless Healthcare Monitoring
Leveraging this capability, the lab has developed non-contact health monitoring systems capable of measuring heart rate and respiration without wearables or cameras. Such systems are particularly relevant in infectious disease wards, elderly care and post-operative monitoring.
These solutions combine custom electronics, advanced signal processing and edge AI to extract vital signs from faint radar reflections. Clinical trials are underway, with hospital deployments planned to assess real-world performance.
Privacy-First Road Sensing
Beyond healthcare, the radar technology is being adapted for road safety and urban mobility. In heavy rain or fog, camera-based systems often fail. Radar sensing, however, continues to function reliably.
Researchers have demonstrated systems capable of detecting and classifying vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists with high accuracy and low latency, even in challenging environments. Such systems could support traffic planning and smart city governance without raising surveillance concerns.
Feedback from Field to Chip
A defining aspect of the lab’s approach is the feedback loop between field testing and chip design. When real-world deployments reveal limitations such as signal interference or noise, those insights directly inform subsequent chip iterations.
This process has led to innovations including programmable frequency-modulated radar generators, low-noise oscillators and high-linearity receiver circuits, designed specifically for application demands rather than textbook metrics.
Building High-Frequency Infrastructure
Supporting the research is a high-frequency electronics facility capable of measurements up to 44 GHz – an infrastructure available at only a handful of institutions nationwide. The lab has achieved milestones including IIIT Hyderabad’s first fully in-house chip tape-out and participation in international semiconductor design programmes providing access to advanced electronic design automation tools.
Training Full-Stack Electronics Engineers
Beyond technological output, the group is training engineers fluent across the electronics stack – from transistor-level circuit design to algorithms and system applications.
“Our students learn how circuit-level constraints shape system intelligence – a rare but increasingly critical skill,” Prof. Srivastava noted.
The cross-disciplinary training prepares graduates for roles in national missions, deep-tech startups, academia and advanced semiconductor industries.
From Academic Research to National Relevance
With sustained funding, multiple peer-reviewed publications, patents in progress and early-stage technology transfers underway, the lab reflects a broader shift toward application-driven electronics research in India.
Prof. Srivastava emphasised that deep-tech innovation is rarely linear. “Sometimes hardware leads. Sometimes applications expose flaws. The key is patience, persistence and constant feedback. The lab isn’t trying to replace every component with custom silicon. Instead, we are focused on strategic intervention – designing custom chips where they matter most,” he said.
As India seeks to strengthen its semiconductor ecosystem, the IC-WiBES group’s work underscores a growing recognition that building chips is only part of the equation – translating silicon into socially relevant systems is equally critical.
