Interns work on microchip technology of the future
A partnership between Intel, Motorola and ASU has given undergraduate engineering students internships working with cutting-edge technology.
The Consortium for Embedded and Inter-Networking Technologies was created April 1 to help set up internships with the Arizona operations of Intel and Motorola.
Albert Meyer, executive director of the program, said the consortium is meant to train undergraduate engineering students in the embedded systems technology.
"This internship gives students a chance to work with an industry partner," Meyer said.
Embedded systems technology routes incoming information through a microchip and sends it into a network that allows it to communicate with other microchips, something that Meyer said could benefit anything from computers to telecommunications work.
"Imagine that you're driving a car," Meyer said. "The technology being devised now will put your car on auto lighting, turn full bright when it senses no other cars around and reduces the light when it senses another car nearing."
One significant achievement of embedded systems technology is in bioengineering where researchers have designed and implanted chips inside paralyzed patients' backs to stimulate dead nerves.
Kyle Gilsdorf, a senior in computer systems engineering and an embedded systems intern for Intel, said the internship gave him a chance to actually work with the technology.
"I had the opportunity to participate in the next generation technology," Gilsdorf said. "I'd say the internship has complemented what I have learned in the classroom."
Through Gilsdorf's research at Intel, he discovered something for which he filed a patent, but he is unable to disclose its specifics due to confidentiality purposes.
Computer systems engineering senior Victoria Baugus said the internship served two purposes to helping her become more comfortable in the business environment and in making the transition from student to an engineer.
"The focus of my internship has been High Availability Linux that will be helping me to integrate aspects of Motorola telecommunications equipment with Intel boards and Microsoft Windows," Baugus said.
Meyer said that as students progress through the internship, they return with good feedback for faculty that tells them what further information can be taught in the classroom to better prepare other students.
"I came here wanting to help students and it's all starting to come together," Meyer said. "The faculty and students are excited about it and at the end of the day, the industry benefits, the students benefits, the University benefits and the college benefits."
Reach the reporter at tony.ku@asu.edu.
