Integrated Power & Sensing Systems (IPSS) Group

"We design mixed-signal ICs that adapt power delivery, sense with precision, and keep running at the edge, and on or inside the body."
Integrated Power & Sensing Systems (IPSS) is a research group at Tampere University, led by Dr. Abrar Akram, building energy-efficient mixed-signal IC platforms for next-generation edge and bio-integrated applications — from circuit to system level.

Research focus and goals

Research Focus

We design energy-efficient mixed-signal ICs for adaptive power management, precision sensing, and wireless/self-powered bioelectronics. Our work spans from circuit-level innovation to system-level solutions for next-generation edge and bio-integrated systems.

Research Goal
Our goal is to make electronic and bio-integrated systems smarter, smaller, more energy-efficient, and more autonomous by co-designing intelligent power, sensing, and mixed-signal technologies.

Impact

Enabling smarter, smaller, and more autonomous edge and bio-integrated systems through energy-efficient power management and precision sensing.

Leader

Abrar Akram

Assistant Professor, Electronics Engineering

Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences

Tampere University

abrar.akram [at] tuni.fi (abrar[dot]akram[at]tuni[dot]fi)

+358503369959

Hervanta Campus

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7574-8695

Professor

Education

2019-08 | Ph.D. in Electrical & Medical Convergent Engineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, South Korea

2013-05 | B.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

Academic Experiences

2026-01 ~ Present | Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Unit, Faculty of ITC, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

2024-01 ~ 2026-01 | Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

2019-09 ~ 2023-12 | Postdoctoral Research Associate, Engineering Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Members

Graduate Students
Syed Zahid Abbas (PhD Student)
Research Assistants
Han Nguyen (1st-year MS student)
Visiting Researchers
Matyáš Cielecký (Exchange MS Student from Czech Republic)

Power That Anticipates

Predictive Power Delivery & Management

Heterogeneous computing platforms run workloads whose power demands shift constantly and unpredictably. We design predictive power delivery systems that anticipate these shifts in real time, dynamically matching supply to load. The result: higher efficiency and reliability without the overhead of static, worst-case provisioning. This work spans circuit-level converter design up through system-level control, closing the loop between prediction and delivery.

Keywords: Fine-grained Power Delivery, Linear Regulators, Power Delivery Networks

Sensing at the Source

Integrated Sensing Interfaces

Every intelligent system starts with a signal worth trusting. We design integrated sensor interface ICs — including high-precision current readout circuits — that capture real-world signals accurately, at low power and minimal area. This front-end layer is what lets edge and bio-integrated devices perceive their environment reliably, without relying on bulky or power-hungry external components.

Keywords: Sensing Interface Circuits, Digital Current-Readouts, Electrochemical Sensing,

Powering What's Inside

Wireless & Self-Powered Bioelectronics

Devices placed on or inside the body can't rely on batteries or bulky wired connections. We design self-powered and wireless-powered circuits for implantable microsystems — from energy harvesting front-ends to efficient wireless power receivers — enabling long-term operation with minimal size, heat, and maintenance. This work targets the specific constraints of bio-integrated deployment: safety, miniaturization, and reliability over years, not just efficiency on paper.

Keywords: Wireless-Power Transfer, Energy Harvesting, Bioelectronics,

————– Under review or revision ————–

TIM, Scientific Reports, ISSCC

————– 2026 ————–

[J3] M. M. Azeem, Y. Park, S. A. H. Mohsan, and M. A. Akram, "An IoT-Enabled Wearable Platform for Worker Safety with Hybrid GPS-UWB Localization and Fall Detection," IEEE Internet of Things Journal, Early Access, Oct. 2026.

[J2] Y. J. Lee, Y. Park, S. Kwon, J. Choi, M. A. Akram*, and I. C. Hwang*, "A Duty-Cycle-Based Adaptive Mode-Transition Buck-Boost Converter Without Explicit VIN Sensing," IEEE Transactions on Circuits & Systems-II: Express Briefs (TCAS-II), Early Access, Oct. 2026.
Invited for a presentation at IEEE ISICAS, Turin, Italy, Dec. 2026. *Co-corresponding authors

[C4] I. A. Wahla, U. Lee, and M. A. Akram, "A Real-Time fNIRS-based Closed-Loop Neurofeedback System with VR-Based Cognitive Monitoring," Proceedings of Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference (BioCAS), Incheon, South Korea, October 8-10, 2026.

[J1] Y. R. Yun, S. J. Yeo, J. H. Ko, M. A. Akram*, and I. C. Hwang*, "A Low-Power Semi-Digital Spectrum-Balancing Adaptive Equalizer for 8Gb/s Serial Links," IEEE Transactions on Circuits & Systems-II: Express Briefs (TCAS-II), vol. 73, no. 8, pp. 778-782, Aug. 2026.
*Co-corresponding authors

[C3] I. A. Wahla, J. Choi, J. Lee, K. Kwon, M. A. Akram, and I. C. Hwang, "A Learning-Enabled Predictive Digital LDO for Fast-Transient Capacitor-Less Load Regulation," Proceedings of European Solid-State Electronics Research Conference (ESSERC), Palma de Mallorca, Spain, September 7-10, 2026.

[C2] M. A. Awan, M. H. Farooq, A. Bermak, M. A. Akram, and B. Wang, "A 4nW 114dB DR Electrochemical Sensing Interface IC with Digital-Intensive Regulation Loop," Proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), Shanghai, China, May 24-27, 2026.

[C1] Y. R. Yun, M. J. Son, D. Y. Jeon, J. S. Yoon, S. J. Yeo, J. H. Ko, M. A. Akram, and I. C. Hwang, "A 1.2−3.4 Gb/s Low-Power Multiphase CDR with Glitch-Free Bang-Bang Phase Detector," Proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), Shanghai, China, May 24-27, 2026.
- Invited to IEEE Transactions on Circuits & Systems-II: Express Briefs (TCAS-II)

————– 2025 & Before ————–

To be updated.