Summer Semester 2025
Grundlagenpraktikum: Rechnerarchitektur
| Course ID | Title | Type | Weekly Hours | Teachers | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9008 | Rechnerarchitektur (IN0005) | PR | 3 | Martin Schulz, Anna Mittermair, Damian Rovara, Robert Wille | weekly |
Content:
Over the first half of the course, lecture videos, tutorials, and homework are used to teach fundamental topics in computer architecture, including:
- Introduction to C Programming
- Secure programming
- Debugging tools and optimization strategies
- System Design
- Planning and reading of combinational and sequential circuits
- Realization of circuits using the SystemC library for C++
- Optimization strategies for circuits
- Assembly Language Programming
- Usage of x86 assembly language
- Optimization of C programs
In the second half of the semester, students work on a practical project relating to one of the two branches (System Design and Assembly Language Programming). Projects are implemented in groups of three and finished with a presentation at the end of the semester.
Further information:
- Contact: gra@caps.cit.tum.de
- ECTS: 5
- Hours: 3
- Language: German
- Level: Bachelor
VI Introduction to Emerging Computing Technologies
| Course ID | Title | Type | Weekly Hours | Teachers | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1090 | Introduction to Emerging Computing Technologies | VI | 3 | Robert Wille | weekly |
Lecturer(s): Robert Wille, Marcel Walter
Content:
Computer technologies will change in the near future. The exponential growth of conventional technologies (according to Moore’s Law) will come to a halt since physical boundaries will be reached soon. At the same time, further system concepts beyond pure electronics emerge. As a consequence, researchers and engineers are currently considering alternative (emerging) computer technologies that work differently from established (conventional) computation paradigms. Examples include quantum computing, reversible circuits, microfludic devices (also known as Labs-on-a-Chip), or field-coupled nanotechnologies. This module provides an overview of these technologies and the corresponding paradigms. This covers an introduction to the respective concepts as well as possible applications. Afterward, questions of how to efficiently design applications/solutions for these technologies are discussed.
Location and time:
- Lecture:
- Tue, 13:15-16:45 3999, Seminarraum (0509.04.999)
Further information:
- Contact: Dr. Marcel Walter
- ECTS: 5
- Hours: 3
- Language: English
- Level: Bachelor
Logic Synthesis and Physical Design
| Course ID | Title | Type | Weekly Hours | Teachers | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2925 | Logic Synthesis and Physical Design | VI | 4 | Marcel Walter, Robert Wille | weekly |
Lecturer(s): Marcel Walter, Robert Wille
Content:
Modern computer chips consist of billions of transistors, making them some of the most complex systems ever created by humans. How does one design such intricate architectures? The answer is algorithms developed and fine-tuned over decades. In this course, students will learn about the techniques that automatically obtain computer chip designs from specifications. To this end, we will explore logic synthesis and optimization as well as partitioning, floorplanning, placement, and routing. Many of these algorithms are meta-heuristics that can be applied in completely different fields, too, like resource allocation, city planning, logistics, compilers, etc. Additionally, students will gather hands-on experience with state-of-the-art tools in logic synthesis and physical design, with the opportunity to participate in an international contest.
The students will get to know data structures and algorithms, and will be able to implement them, e.g.,
- AIGs, MIGs, XAGs, kLUT networks,
- logic optimization and technology mapping,
- combinational equivalence checking,
- floor planning,
- global and detailed placement,
- global and detailed routing,
- legalization.
Additionally, the students will learn to operate open-source industrial-strength tools in the field, like ABC, Yosys, OpenROAD, or iEDA.
- Contact: Dr. Marcel Walter
- ECTS: 6
- Hours: 4
- Language: English
- Level: Master
Machine Learning for Electronic Design Automation and Manufacturing
| Course ID | Title | Type | Weekly Hours | Teachers | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1256 | Machine Learning for Electronic Design Automation and Manufacturing | VI | 3 | Lorenzo Servadei | weekly |
Lecturer(s): Lorenzo Servadei, Robert Wille
Content:
The complexity of modern chips significantly impacts the cost and capabilities of design and manufacturing for traditional Design Automation Toolkits. This issue is exacerbated by the increased relevance of software and applications running on modern SoCs and their co-design. Current Design Automation methodologies often struggle to fully capture and optimize complicated designs or reduce them to the initial specification. However, advancements in data-driven algorithms, particularly in Machine Learning, can address these shortcomings. This course teaches how to apply Machine Learning to enhance and improve the chip design process.
This module provides an in-depth exploration of machine learning for design automation, including:
- theory and application of machine learning algorithms,
- in-depth exploration of recent machine learning methods suitable for design automation tasks,
- overview of topics, areas, and current industrial pain points in the semiconductor chain where a great availability of data exists,
- detailed coverage of data structures and state-of-the-art tools for tackling design automation, as well as
- hands-on experiences of machine learning algorithms applied to design automation tasks.
Further information:
- Contact: Simon Hofmann, Dr. Lorenzo Servadei
- ECTS: 5
- Hours: 3
- Language: German
- Level: Master
VI Design Automation and Simulation for Microfluidic Devices
| Course ID | Title | Type | Weekly Hours | Teachers | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1799 | Design Automation and Simulation for Microfluidic Devices | VI | 3 | Robert Wille | weekly |
Lecturer(s): Robert Wille; Maria Emmerich, Philipp Ebner, Michel Takken
Content:
The domain of microfluidics is a multi-disciplinary field which deals with the precise control and manipulation of fluids at the micro-scale. Corresponding devices, often also known as “Lab-on-a-Chip” (LoC), are used to realize experiments or operations in domains such as medicine, (bio-)chemistry, biology, pharmacology, etc. The main idea is to realize assays, which are originally conducted in bulky and expensive laboratories, on a minimized, integrated, and automated single device. Prominent (although simple) examples include the pregnancy test or the Covid-19 test; but much more elaborated devices exist.
However, the design and layout of microfluidic devices is not trivial: Channels must be properly dimensioned and connected, the used samples and chemicals must be injected into the chip at the right pressure, and mixing, heating, or incubation processes must be initiated at the right time. This requires dedicated expertise on a huge number of parameters and, eventually, design automation and simulation methods. This module provides
- an overview of the various applications which are suited for microfluidic devices,
- an overview of the different biochip platforms that are available to realize those applications,
- a detailed introduction into design automation for microfluidic devices,
- a detailed introduction into simulation methods for microfluidic devices, as well as
- an overview of fabrication procedures for microfluidic devices. Overall, after the lecture, students have a complete understanding of how to realize a microfluidic application from the initial idea to a prototypical implementation.
Date and time:
- Lecture:
- Tue, 09:45-12:15 3999, Seminarraum (0509.04.999)
Further information:
- Contact: microfluidics.cda@xcit.tum.de
- ECTS: 5
- Hours: 3
- Language: English
- Level: Master
PR Quantum Computing Software Lab
| Course ID | Title | Type | Weekly Hours | Teachers | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3008 | Quantum Computing Software Lab | PR | 4 | Robert Wille | weekly |
Lecturer(s): Robert Wille, Laura Herzog
Content:
Quantum computers are becoming a reality. They offer new and powerful paradigms while also introducing new challenges, which, in turn, need different tools and methods to develop with the new paradigms. Accordingly, the design and realization of corresponding quantum computing solutions differs significantly from the conventional design and, hence, requires new software solutions and design methods. This module provides an introduction into the quantum computing paradigms as provides hands-on experiences on corresponding software tools and design automation methods. Different frameworks focused on quantum computing are presented and used to realize selected quantum algorithms in practice.
Location and time:
- Practical:
- Wed, 09:45-13:00 3999, Seminarraum (0509.04.999)
Further information:
- Contact: Laura Herzog
- ECTS: 6
- Hours: 4
- Language: English
- Level: Master (for Computer Science, see below)
Note: If you are studying Computer Science, please use this link instead to sign up for this course.
SE Seminar on Topics in Design Automation
| Course ID | Title | Type | Weekly Hours | Teachers | Rhythm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1794 | Seminar on Topics in Design Automation | SE | 3 | Robert Wille | weekly |
Lecturer(s): Robert Wille
Content:
In this seminar, current topics from the area of Design Automation are discussed among the participants. A structured
introduction into scientific literature regarding paper reading, literature research, presentation techniques, and
scientific writing is given. The participants are enabled to independently perform all required steps to present a
scientific topic in form of a review paper and an oral presentation.
Further information:
- Contact: Tobias Forster
- ECTS: 5
- Hours: 3
- Language: English
- Level: Bachelor/Master (for Computer Science, see below)
Note: If you are studying Computer Science, please use this link instead to sign up for this course.
