Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS) today announced that Vinoth Rajendran and Balan Premkumar of the RMK Engineering College won first place in the Synopsys India Custom Design Contest. To participate in the contest, students used Synopsys’ analog/mixed-signal offering, including Galaxy Custom Designer® schematic editor, HSPICE® simulator, Custom WaveView™ analysis, IC Validator, and StarRC™ extraction tools to design a complete schematic, run simulations and create a DRC/LVS clean layout of a latched comparator, a basic element in analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). In addition to being challenged with a more complex design, this year’s competitors used a 32/28-nanometer process design kit (PDK), giving them experience designing at a more advanced technology node. Contest judging committee members selected the winners based on their designs’ functionality, efficiency and area, and on the teams’ ability to complete the design within the specified time frame.
“It’s an honor to win first place in a contest sponsored by Synopsys,” said Vinoth Rajendran, participant from the RMK Engineering College. “Participating in the contest was an incredible experience for my whole team. It combined the benefit of learning real-world skills with the fun of competition.”
“I was very impressed with the level of organization of Synopsys’ Custom Design Contest, including the easy access to design tools, and especially the support we received from the Synopsys contest organizers,” said Dr. S. Ramasamy, professor at RMK Engineering College. “The design specifications were very well defined, so the students could focus on enhancing the architecture and learning the best layout practices. These are skills they will be able to apply throughout their careers in the semiconductor industry.”
“With India’s growing number of IC design houses, it is more important than ever for the industry to have a well-trained engineering workforce ready to take on advanced IC designs,” said Uno Nellore, manager in Technical Support and Training at Synopsys India. “By making our broad range of solutions accessible to universities and supporting hands-on programs like the Synopsys India Custom Design Contest, we are helping create a pool of well-trained engineers with industry-ready skills.”
The Synopsys India Custom Design Contest is one of many projects supported by Synopsys Worldwide University Programs. Through our academic programs we aim to inspire and foster the world’s next generation of technologists and innovators by providing academic and research institutions with access to Synopsys design tools and technology needed to prepare well-educated students who can meet difficult challenges ranging from microelectronic and optical design, to software quality and security. Synopsys software is used by thousands of students and professors across the globe every year. Benefits of membership in the Synopsys University Program includes access to design tools, technical support, training, curriculum and more.
