Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) alumna, Michella Rustom, BE’17 in Electrical Engineering and current Ph.D. student at the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering, has designed her first ever integrated circuit (IC) chip—the most precise one yet.
At the
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, under the supervision of Dr. Constantine Sideris, Michella was part of the
Analog/RF Integrated Circuits, Microsystems, and Electromagnetics Laboratory (ACME) and its project to develop a smart pill, a diagnostic device that enters a patient’s digestive system to collect and report data in real-time. It has the advantage of being non-invasive and less time-consuming, ensuring the patient’s comfort during the process without compromising data collection.
Michella’s IC is distinguished in that she was able to maximize the smart pill localization within the body for easier tracking, with up to 1mm of precision, an immense achievement in IC technology as the most accurate smart pill ever made. Her creative process during the layout portion of the setup led to her design, resulting in this impressive feat.
This innovation has immense implications for the medical field:
Michella’s profile of her success cites the importance of utilizing these scientific advancements for the greater good. “To me, this is the true value of electrical and computer engineering: the ability to address and impact many of the problems facing humanity,” she writes. Although far from home, Michella always has Lebanon on her mind, hoping that this experience not only leads to the development of an IC industry in the country, but also to support Lebanese students as they proceed with their research in this field.
A remarkable accomplishment, we extend our congratulations and applause to Michella for her novel design. Your NDU Family is proud of you.