Intel announces Rs 5.7 lakh PhD fellowship programmes to boost quality research in India

Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, on Saturday announced a fellowship of Rs 5.7 lakh to enhance PhD programmes and boost quality research in India.

The Intel PhD sponsorship programme will provide research opportunities for students in cutting edge technology and a platform for sharing industry knowledge and mentoring from senior technology leaders at the chipmaker, the company said in a release.

Selected candidates will be awarded a fellowship of up to Rs 5.7 lakh for a period of up to four years and includes student stipend, contingency research and a travel grant to attend conferences and research forums.

The programme will provide the best in industry fellowships, research travel grants and contingency grants to selected students, it added.

It is part of Intel’s higher education programme and will be available for eligible students from the academic year starting July 2014.

The higher education programme builds collaboration with engineering and research institutions, universities and the government, reaching more than 235,000 students and 4,500 faculties across 550 institutions to date. It is aimed at bridging the gap between academia and industry standards and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.

Globally, the fellowship programme was started in the early 1990s by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore to recognise and honour top students pioneering research in all areas that would benefit humankind.

Intel India will share details of research areas, application process and fellowship benefits with selected technology institutions in order for them to nominate deserving PhD candidates for the fellowship.

A research committee at Intel will evaluate candidates on the basis of research areas, engineering and research goals of the PhD thesis and novelty in addressing a problem.

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Intel buys fitness-tracking band maker Basis

Intel on Tuesday announced it has bought fitness-tracking band maker Basis Science as part of a move into the hot wearable computing market.

The California-based chip maker did not disclose how much it paid for Basis, which makes a strap-on wrist band that captures data such as heart rate, activity, and sleep to help people live healthier.


Information is synched wirelessly with applications on smartphones.


Wearable computing has been a hot trend thanks to inexpensive sensors that can be built into formerly dump items and to increasingly powerful smartphones that can be used to analyze data collected.

Health and fitness have been early markets for lifestyle-tracking devices such as Up and Fitbit.


"The acquisition of Basis Science provides immediate entry into the market with a leader in health tracking for wearable devices," said Intel vice president Mike Bell, general manager of the company's New Devices Group.


"As we accelerate our position in wearables, we will build upon this foundation to deliver products that bring people greater utility and value."


Buying Basis speeds up Intel's move into wearable computing, according to the chip maker. Basis bands will continue to be sold at stores.

"The acquisition brings access to Intel resources, expertise and global scale as we work together to explore new possibilities of wearable technology," said former Basis chief executive Jef Holove, now a New Devices Group general manager.

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