Wizard

One platform, many technologies, it is left to the innovator to invent!!!

Professor Karthikeyan. B. is sailing the boat of innovation and development in his institution and his sailors (students) are successfully conquering each island (projects) to surmount to a new one!!!

Engineering educators must tap into students' passion, curiosity, engagement, and dreams. Important questions such as how to make the courses more exciting; how to communicate what engineers actually do; how to improve the writing and communication skills of engineering graduates; how to give students a basic understanding of technological advancement are complex question which a engineering professor tries to work out while teaching his students. When we suggest about the needs of the engineering students and getting them prepared for 2020 and beyond. One constant is the need for a sound basis in science, engineering principles, and analytical capabilities. Strong grounding in the fundamentals is still the most important thing we need provide.

Pulpit rock

Understanding all these complexities and conquering these obstacles we have with us Professor Karthikeyan. B. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor [senior] in Embedded System Division, School of Electronics Engineering, VIT University, Vellore. His Area of Expertise includes Microcontroller based System Design, Embedded System design, Wireless Sensor Networks. Being a person of passion and believing in increasing one scope of leaning and understanding more so as a teacher, he is currently pursuing his Ph.D in the area of “Security Issues in Wireless Sensor Networks”.

He takes classes on Microcontrollers, Embedded System Design and Computer Architecture. These three subjects get modernized frequently. Students in these areas struggle to keep pace with the changing demands. His main objective always revolves around upgrading his student’s application adaptability with the dynamic technical transformations.

While elaborating his experience with his students, Professor Karthikeyan shared with us how meticulously he divided each semester students starting from the 3rd semester to the 9th Semester to evolve in their technological skills.

His story of initiation and adaptability left us spellbound! This spectrum of change he has successfully done with 400 students!!!!

We congratulated him on his feat but he on his regular signature style stated "it’s all because of them, they teach me every day to do things differently and this is my achievement."

So now let us hear from him about initiation, the platform he uses and his student’s adaptability and new projects they have done and taken. Over to Professor Karthikeyan!

Professor Karthikeyan to begin with, please tell us again which subjects do you teach?

Professor Karthikeyan: I take classes on Microcontrollers [8051, MSP430, ARM Processor, LPC214X ARM Microcontroller], Embedded System Design, Computer Architecture.

So Professor is these subjects challenging?

Professor Karthikeyan: No it is not a challenging subject, I would say these are interesting subjects; these are areas where constant innovations and changes are happening. So they are definitely very interesting topics to teach. Each day you have something new to talk about.

We agree professor! Now tell us what is the need that arises in these subjects?

We agree professor! Now tell us what is the need that arises in these subjects?How can we do that Professor?

Professor Karthikeyan: Well one ideal way is to get them internships in various companies. But that is not a sustainable solution. It is more so ad hoc in its nature. I would say what I felt could resolve this issue was to give them an environment within college premises however they can work on industry required platforms and built projects/ rather products which will garner their understanding and also built their portfolio!

Now this is interesting, give them an environment within college premises to garner Professor kindly describe the projects (both mini and major) you have taken up on ULK?

Professor Karthikeyan: I will not talk about the projects done but what we have in hand because I always believe we need to look in front and try and catch the horizon!!!

The following projects are currently in progress. Objective of all these projects is "Interfacing Sensors with ULK which leads to a solution for real world issues and comfort"

a) ULK based WIPER control of a car

b) ULK based Side mirror control of a car

c) ULK based Door mirror control of a car

d) ULK based A/C control of a car

e) ULK based Head lamp control of a car during Curve

f) ULK based collision avoidance of a car in heavy traffic

g) Developing Android applications for controlling the body electronics of a car

h) ULK based Door lock control of a car

i) ULK based head lamp control of a car based on speed

Great Professor! You have initiated a number of projects based on one single platform. We must congratulate you on these various initiatives. Please tell us how were the projects conducted?

their adaptability? How did you do that? Please tell about the platform?

Professor Karthikeyan: (Please write a brief on ULK capabilities)

Ok so based on this platform you created various projects for different semester students as we can understand. How have you implemented ULK in the projects/curriculum?

Professor Karthikeyan: I have used different approaches for different batches of students

  • As part of Microcontroller subject, Two Labs were conducted to introduce based ULK to 400+ third year B.Tech[ECE] students which enabled them to understand and come with innovative ideas using this platform in the near future.
  • Discussion was done with M.Tech [VLSI] students and they had climbed a ladder higher to built mini projects/ or products as part of their Embedded System Design course.
  • I also selected 18 students [B.Tech ECE final year Students] based on their interest, basic knowledge in C and microcontrollers, CGPA and allotted them 9 projects.

These allocations helped me to not only nurture their technical knowledge but also enhance team work and communication skills.

Professor Karthikeyan: Please do not congratulate me, congratulate my hardworking students. They are the real heroes! We conduct these projects through frequent Review by Experts from the Embedded System Division, School of Electronics Engineering, VIT University. As we believe when we test our innovation with experts from the domain and get their congruence its only then we have achieved our set goal of innovation.

Rightly said Professor! But we are curious to know what the reaction of students / colleagues / management was?

Professor Karthikeyan: Management in VIT is very co-operative to new initiations. They have always been appreciative which drives us to do more. Students found the easiness of programming as an important part of ULK

Before winding up Professor, Please tell us what is your message to faculty who would like to introduce ULK to their students?

Professor Karthikeyan: I believe surely students gain following working knowledge after using ULK which is required as a basic for Industries.

  • Working in ECLIPSE
  • Knowing Embedded C
  • Hands on Experience in LINUX
  • OMAP processor


Thank you Professor for your time and sharing with us your and your students story of technical change !!!!!