ONE of the key technologies buried within a wide variety of electronic goods, from cell phones to telecommunications networks to advanced industrial controls, is digital signal processors (DSPs). Since introducing the first commercially available DSP 15 years ago, Texas Instruments (TI) has become the dominant player in the $3.3 billion DSP market, with DSPs (along with mixed signal processors) accounting for 32 percent of the company’s revenues.

DSPs are microprocessor-like chips that take traditional analog communications signals and compress them into digital signals that offer greater communications reliability and quality as well as more efficient transmission across networks. The application areas of DSP include pooled modems, wireless base stations, imaging applications and 3D graphic applications.

TI (India), in an effort to promote DSPs in engineering colleges in India, has tied up with Bangalore-based Cranes Software International (CSIL).

Sanjeev Das Mohapatra, manager of DSP’s University Programme II of TI India said, “This partnership is towards popularising the use of TI tools in engineering colleges, where study of DSP is part of the syllabus and to introduce the concept where it is still to be incorporated.”

CSIL, a total solution provider in the scientific software and engineering domain, in association with TI is introducing TI DSP labs in Hyderabad. CSIL is the sole authorised representative for TI DSP University Programme in India.

In association with TI, CSIL is setting up TI DSP labs in engineering colleges across India. So far, CSIL has established 30 sponsored DSP labs and 150 labs at a discounted rate in the country. The sponsorship includes supply of TI Tools, technical support and training to college faculty.

“Shortage of programmers and analysts in DSP and RTOS market has resulted in CSIL’s foray into training,” said Ashfaq Ibrahim, vice president of CSIL’s training division. Cranes Varsity, the first in India, into industrial grade disciplines was established to bridge the chasm between engineering students and the requirements of the industry. In the last 24 months Cranes Varsity has trained over 500 engineers.

In addition to this, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) has included DSP as part of its course curriculum and is in the process of setting up DSP labs for this purpose. Also, about 500 engineering colleges in South India have purchased and set up the DSP labs in order to expose more and more engineering students to DSP tools.