DRDO-Sponsored Workshop on Multicore GPU Computing Empowers Next-Generation Engineers at Coimbatore Campus

The Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore Campus, conducted a three-day Advanced Hands-on Workshop on Multicore GPU Computing using Infineon AURIX TriCore and NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano development boards. The workshop, sponsored by DRDO, was led by Dr. Ramanathan R and Shri Peeyush K P, aiming to build technical expertise in high-performance computing for applications spanning defense, autonomous systems, and intelligent automation.

The program was inaugurated by Dr. Madhu Mohan N, Chairperson of the Department, in the presence of Shri Manoj Kumar P C and Shri Tatvik Y, Founding Directors of AnyaRobotics and Automation Pvt. Ltd., who served as Guests of Honor. Keynote remarks highlighted the growing importance of heterogeneous computing and AI integration in real-world industrial and defense applications, stressing the need for skilled professionals in both hardware and AI software domains.

The workshop provided a hands-on, application-oriented understanding of multicore microcontroller programming and GPU-based AI computing, featuring Infineon AURIX™ TriCore Microcontroller for safety-critical automotive and industrial systems and NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano for real-time AI edge applications.

Participants gained practical experience in system architecture, CUDA programming, Python-based AI applications, and interfacing embedded systems with AI engines to develop intelligent edge solutions. Thirty selected participants from premier academic institutions, research labs, and industry organizations across India attended the workshop. Undergraduate and postgraduate students, early-career researchers, and professionals engaged in hands-on programming, real-time debugging, and algorithmic implementation throughout the three-day intensive sessions.

Technical Sessions

• Days 1 & 2: Embedded Systems and GPU fundamentals, covering AURIX TriCore architecture, peripheral interface programming, multicore scheduling, and CUDA programming.
• Day 3: AI integration and application development, including real-time object detection, image classification, autonomous driving modules, and reinforcement learning using Jetson Orin Nano.

A dedicated panel discussion with industry leaders addressed challenges in deploying multicore systems for robotics, defense, and industrial automation. Topics included scaling GPU-accelerated AI algorithms, integration with real-time control systems, and future trends in heterogeneous system design.

The workshop contributed to several UN SDGs, including:

• SDG 4 – Quality Education: Providing advanced experiential learning.
• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Promoting innovation in embedded AI and hardware-software co-design.
• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthening academia-industry collaboration.

Participants lauded the workshop for its rigorous curriculum, interactive mentorship, and hands-on exposure to cutting-edge platforms. The event also sparked potential research collaborations, internships, and project proposals in edge AI, autonomous systems, and GPU-accelerated computing. Plans for future advanced certificate programs, including Winter and Summer Schools, are already underway.