Robert Kunz and Lennart Schierling, both doctoral students at the MSE Lab, visited the Future Computing Laboratory at ETH Zurich in February 2026. Here’s how they found valuable inspiration for their own research at the Winter School.

As doctoral candidates at the MSE Lab, we work on the development of smart sensor systems. An important aspect of these systems is the processing of measurement data into semantic information close to the sensor – with minimal energy consumption. One possible solution for this task is the development of processors that are optimised for these applications.

At the Future Computing Laboratory Winter School, held in Zurich from 9 to 12 February 2026, we had the opportunity to learn about various approaches on how to integrate application-specific processing units into existing processor designs. The week began with an introduction to the manufacturing of custom integrated circuits (chips). Typically, this is intended for high-volume production, involving very high initial costs and making it difficult for individuals or educational institutions to access. The Tiny Tapeout initiative aims to drastically reduce these barriers to entry. By developing low-threshold development tools and a kind of organised bulk ordering, students, for example, can have small designs manufactured at low cost. Five keynotes by leading researchers on topics ranging from ‘End-to-end open source design’ and ‘3D human foundation models’ to ‘Hardware implementation challenges for post-quantum cryptography’ set the broader context for the rest of the week.

This was followed by three days of intensive workshops, accompanied by introductory technical lectures, where we created various implementations of hardware accelerators on our own and compared them through simulations. Our stay was completed by insights into the structure and working methods of ETH Zurich, personal discussions with current research partners, and an excellent cheese fondue.

Robert Kunz: Participating in the Winter School made a lasting impression on me. The workshop enabled me to quickly and intensively familiarise myself with a solution strategy for a central problem in my doctoral thesis. Direct contact with the workshop leaders also allowed me to discuss my own previous approaches in personal conversations and compare them with those presented. The insights into the working methods of the Integrated Systems Laboratory and the deepening of contacts with research partners provided inspiration and motivation for my own research projects.

Lennart Schierling: By participating in the Winter School, I was able to gain a deeper insight into the field of digital circuit design, the development tools used in an academic context, and the working methods of key players in this field. The knowledge I gained enables me to better contextualise existing technical solutions in the field of my doctoral research and inspires me to develop my own research in new directions.