Efficient Embedded Systems
G1 2.19 - Efficiency is the key—whether in hardware, software, or system architecture.
About the Lab
In the Efficient Embedded Systems Lab, students conduct practical research and development on modern embedded systems. They design and program their own processors (e.g., based on RISC-V) or optimize heterogeneous computer architectures for maximum efficiency. By combining hardware and software development, students acquire valuable skills for cutting-edge technologies—from real-time systems to embedded AI.
Through the consistent use of open-source tools in teaching, students can not only utilize modern development environments but also modify algorithms and architectures themselves and optimize them experimentally—a central component of research-oriented learning and technological autonomy.
In addition, the lab conducts research projects on efficient computer architectures that enable innovative solutions for Industry 4.0, the automotive sector, and the IoT.
Room: G1 2.19
Areas of Application in Research, Teaching, and Knowledge Transfer
The lab's main areas of focus are:
- Innovative processor architectures & embedded AI
: Development and deployment of dedicated hardware—e.g., FPGA-based accelerators—to increase computational performance in resource-constrained applications such as computer vision and embedded AI. - Heterogeneous computing architectures & hardware-software co-design
: Integration and optimization of various computing units (CPU, GPU, FPGA, TPU) within a single system to achieve maximum performance and energy efficiency—particularly relevant for edge computing and real-time applications. Design and implementation of algorithms with minimal resource consumption (e.g., for signal processing, image processing, or control systems). - RISC-V & Technological Sovereignty
Use of the open and modular RISC-V ISA for energy-efficient and customizable processor architectures—with a focus on technological sovereignty through open-source hardware and software, as well as independence from proprietary solutions. - FPGA Development with Open-Source Tools
Design and implementation of digital circuits on programmable logic devices (e.g., AMD/Xilinx, Lattice, CologneChip) using open-source development tools (e.g., ICSC, Yosys, NextPNR) to create flexible and technologically sovereign hardware solutions. - Real-Time Systems & Embedded Linux
Development and analysis of systems with hard or soft real-time requirements, as well as optimization of the Linux kernel for embedded applications with a focus on reliability and performance.
Lab Infrastructure
The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and software, including:
- FPGA development boards
(e.g., MPSoC ZCU102 / Zynq UltraScale+ ZU9EG, ULX3S / Lattice ECP5, Olimex GateMate A1) - Embedded platforms
(e.g., NVIDIA Jetson, Google Edge TPU, Raspberry Pi, ESP329 - Development environments
(Vivado, YosysHQ, RISC-V simulators and development tools) - Measurement and analysis tools
Projects and Collaborations
The lab supports research and development projects in the field of FPGA acceleration and application-specific computer architectures and collaborates with partners from academia and industry. Companies can use the lab, for example, for joint research projects, feasibility studies, or theses.