Pillar 3 is creating advanced tools using Large Language Models for digital circuit design, prioritising syntax, functional correctness, and performance, power, and area (PPA) considerations. By integrating cutting-edge AI, we aim to equip engineers with powerful resources, enhancing their productivity and significantly reducing design time, besides driving innovation in the field.
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Professor Michael O’Boyle
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Google DeepMind is a pioneering new scheme supporting UK universities to offer research placements to undergraduate students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups. Through this programme, the APRIL AI Hub has recruited 12 interns to gain research experience in AI to give them the tools and opportunities to excel in the field of AI research. Meet four more of our brilliant interns:
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Junjian Chi
University College London
BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering
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Eva Hita Sogorb
University College London
BEng Biomedical Engineering
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Research Interests:
I am interested in neuromorphic computing and memristive learning systems, particularly in implementing spike neural network and brain-inspired computation for low-power edge applications.
Experience:
Qualcomm Internship at UCL
Rosetrees Funded Research Assistant
UROP Research Assistant
I have prior experience in embedded system design and applied machine learning used for wearable rehabilitation system and have contributed to research publications in this field.
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Research Interests:
As a Biomedical Engineering student, my research interests lie at the intersection of machine learning and healthcare.
My dissertation project explored the feasibility of using cognitive biomarkers to predict the spread of an Alzheimer’s causing protein in the brain using machine learning.
Experience:
Vice-President of UCL MedTech and DataCamp Scholarship Leader.
UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Summer Studentship
Optiver Women in Tech Insight Programme
Academic projects such as a GPS-enabled fall sensor and an EMG mouse for people with no hand.
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Max Tamborksi
University of Edinburgh
MInF Informatics
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Haleem Yousef Absulem
University of Glasgow
BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering
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Research Interests:
Real-world problems demand real-world robots. However every robot we build is inherently resource-constrained—limited by its hardware, power, and sensing capabilities. So, how can we enable robots to autonomously interact with our complex world? My research explores this question through the lens of reinforcement learning, bounded agency, and the co-evolution of hardware and policy learning. In particular, I’m interested in: (a) How can robots adapt their behaviour depending on the resources they have? (b) Given some resources, how can robots jointly evolve their control policies and physical designs to maximise their performance across tasks and environments?
Experience:
Teaching and tutoring experience for Informatics 2D – Reasoning and Agents, Introductory Applied Machine Learning, and Applied Machine Learning at the University of Edinburgh
Founder and leader of Fostering Undergraduate Research
Software Engineer for Formula Student, University of Edinburgh.
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Research Interests:
I have a strong passion for electronics, particularly in enhancing design and architecture to achieve optimal results.
I am keen on integrating AI into these processes to improve efficiency. I am deeply interested in leveraging FPGA
accelerators to speed up deep neural networks. I am an active member of the Electrical Team in the Hydrogen Fuel Racing Society. My areas of expertise include: circuit and PCB design, digital electronics, Python and C/C++ embedded programming.
Experience:
Team lead in the Line Follower Robotic Vehicle group project.
Electronics Repair Techinician at The Tech Bar, Glasgow.
Welsh Baccalaureate Research Project: "Can Hydrogen fuel our Future?".
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On the 23rd of May, the Hub hosted it’s second Independent Advisory Board (IAB) meeting at Imperial College London. The session brought together key stakeholders, including board members, pillar leads, and our EPSRC representative, to review progress from Year 1 and discuss strategic goals for the future. The Board commended APRIL’s strong momentum, outreach efforts, and collaborative approach. Valuable feedback was shared around strategic alignment, project visibility, and stakeholder engagement, all of which will help shape our direction moving into Year 2.
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This month we had the second instalment of our ethos series focusing on Sustainability hosted by Professor Sean Smith, Chair of Future Construction within the School of Engineering and Director of the Centre for Future Infrastructure at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. He is also principal investigator for the UKRI £4.5M Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings.
The session covered a range of aspects discussing sustainable approaches, carbon reductions and the “golden thread” from initial design concept to full life cycle and some of the insights gained from other sectors such as construction & infrastructure. It was interesting to hear about the range of sustainability impacts and also considerations which integrate for the sector, whilst including approaches from other industries.
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Santhosh presenting at the University of Edinburgh’s Impact Festival
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We were proud to have Dr Santhosh Sivasubramani represent APRIL at the Early in Career Researcher (ECR) impact showcase at the University of Edinburgh’s 2025 Impact Festival. Santhosh presented how a single innovative idea, integrating AI with nanotechnology, was effectively communicated across three platforms to make our research accessible and demystify AI for a diverse audience.
Santhosh commented: “Each platform allowed me to tailor the complexity of our research to suit diverse audiences, from inspiring future generations in classrooms to influencing contemporary scientific thought among international experts and general public. This multifaceted approach not only magnified the reach and understanding of our work but also underscored its practical implications, sparking a broader appreciation and driving forward the conversation on next-generation technological solutions. I would like to appreciate Anastasia, Molly and Hazel for their invaluable contributions in refining this idea and enhancing its impact across these varied platforms.”
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This year the School of Engineering hosted the NXP Drone Challenge and APRIL’s Molly and Mohannad joined in the fun! The School welcomed over 50 students from local high schools to present their drone ideas to a panel of judges and put their drones to the test in an obstacle course and a search and rescue mission. It was great to see so much creativity.
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Students attempting a ‘Search and ‘Rescue’ mission with their drones
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Fun Friday Intern Activities!
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Group shot on the top of Arthur’s Seat
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After a busy first week in the APRIL AI Hub, we wrapped things up with our very first Fun Friday activity - a climb up Arthur's Seat! It was a great opportunity to get to know each other outside of the office and show our interns what Edinburgh has to offer.
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For our second Fun Friday, our interns enjoyed a fascinating visit to the FloWave Ocean Energy Research Facility. This is the world’s first large circular wave and current simulation tank offering the best simulation of real-world coastal waters available. It was a great example of engineering in action for our interns to see and they enjoyed an interesting discussion on the challenges of aligning numerical and physical modelling.
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An exciting visit to the University of Edinburgh’s FloWave facility
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