Shakti Chip Deep Dive: How IIT Madras & ISRO Are Redefining India’s Space Technology

Days after IT revealed the development of new technologies to boost habitation on another planet, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is out with a cutting-edge microprocessor chip to boost India's space program. IIT-Madras and the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) have successfully developed and booted an indigenous semiconductor chip named IRIS. This chip, part of the Shakti series of microprocessors, is based on the open-source RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) and marks a crucial step in reducing India's dependence on foreign semiconductor technology. The IRIS chip was conceived by Isro's Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) in Thiruvananthapuram and designed and implemented by IIT Madras. The entire development process, including chip design, fabrication, packaging, motherboard assembly, and software booting, was carried out within India. This achievement shows India's capability to create a complete semiconductor ecosystem. The Shakti project, led by Prof. V. Kamakoti at IIT Madras, aims to create customisable processors for various applications. The IRIS chip, specifically tailored for space applications, includes fault-tolerant internal memories and custom modules such as CORDIC and WATCHDOG Timers. It is designed to meet the computing requirements of Isro's command and control systems, as well as other critical functions in space missions.