To date, the first “Smart City Microchip Design Competition 2023” has received a total of 29 projects, including solutions and design ideas for the microchip industry. Of these, 17 projects were highly appreciated by the jury, have the potential for practical application, and have entered the training round at Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park (SHTP).

According to Dr. Le Quoc Cuong, Deputy Head of SHTP Management Board, recently, in Resolution 124/NQ-CP dated August 7, 2023, the Prime Minister requested relevant ministries and branches to research and develop a Project on Human Resource Development for the Semiconductor Industry by 2030, with the plan to train about 30,000-50,000 human resources and experts. Currently, Vietnam has about 5,000 engineers working in the field of microchip design, most of whom are concentrated in Ho Chi Minh City (85%), Hanoi (8%) and Da Nang (7%). Therefore, launching programs to search for and exploit the microchip capacity of the young generation is an important prerequisite activity of SHTP.

The contest was launched by the SHTP Management Board at the end of November 2023 to arouse passion for microchip design activities, spreading the spirit of innovation in scientific and technological research among young intellectuals across the country. After 3 months of implementation, the organizing committee received 29 projects from 39 authors and groups of authors from institutes and schools in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang. The projects are solutions and ideas for microchip design serving the field of using semiconductor microchips, aiming to solve problems in the context of the city focusing on promoting the construction of smart urban areas.

SHTP Management Board has selected 17 projects to move on to the training round, some typical projects are: optimizing DPWM architecture; microcontroller for IoT ensuring security; designing integrated AI core chip for smart city construction application... To complete and apply in practice, these projects are trained and guided by experts, lecturers, and engineers with experience in the field of microchips at SHTP. In addition, project authors also participate in training courses on microchip design expertise, methods of using support tools and practice on licenses, learning with mentors.

“This will be an annual competition. Hopefully, through the competition, we will find more ideas and quality human resources to realize the goal of SHTP becoming a knowledge-based economic and innovation center of the country, contributing to the socio-economic development of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern key economic region,” emphasized Dr. Le Quoc Cuong.

BUI TUAN