Vittal Battula

My Work

My work generally varies and goes through different fields. I typically spend time on everything I come across. But everything is not my cup of tea, and therefore, my primary work contribution lies in programming, research, entrepreneurship, and content creating.

Entrepreneurial Work

In mid-2020, I started a non-profit software company named Swattle, which paves a way into eco-friendly computing. Swattle currently distributes atomeOS, and the company is numerously developing different products based on macOS, mobile, and web. I'm also teaming up with eco-friendly organizations as partners to gain more reach and versatility. During this time, I also co-founded a secure URL merging and shortening service for up to 5 different links named MergeURL that gained 100,000 users in under four months and had 450,000 users before it closing service in August 2022.

I founded a non-profit educational startup named Vittbookpro back in 2014. It was an attempt of mine to teach, spread, and make everyone accessible to programming across the globe. It educated about 600 people in the basics of C++, and the community had about 12000 people at its peak. It deceased operations in 2018 due to time and cost constraints.

Books and Publications

Projects

• Hardware design of anomaly detecting AI for particle detectors: Referenced and customized an existing auto-encoder model. Synthesized modified model on Xilinx Alveo U55C FPGA accelerator card. Documented the process while comparing the FPGA vs. CPU execution in terms of power, latency, throughput, and accuracy. Collaborated with Princeton physicists and Fermilab.
  Tools utilized: Python, hls4ml, C++
• Integration of SD card controller IP in ESP: Integrated an open-source SD card controller IP through an AHB to Wishbone bus allowing communication between the CPU tile of ESP (an open-source SoC model) and the SD card controller. Verified simulation waveforms to ensure design is FPGA ready. Learn more at github.com/sld-columbia/esp/tree/sd-card-integration.
  Tools utilized: Verilog, ModelSim, C++
• Formal verification of a 16-bit SIMD processor: Performed thorough formal verification on a 16-bit SIMD processor written in Verilog. Devised custom SystemVerilog Assertions (SVA) to check numerous properties and functionality of processor. Learn more at github.com/saivittalb/simd-processor-verification.
  Tools utilized: SystemVerilog Assertions, Verilog, Questa PropCheck
• Design of an 8-bit microprocessor core: Designed adder, shifter, SRAM memory, decoder, latch, MUX, and bus driver as a part of microprocessor core. Assembled these blocks and checked functionality of microprocessor with UltraSim and Spectre simulations. The schematics of each block were further hand-routed into layout. The layouts were ensured to be Design Rule Checking (DRC) and Layout-Versus-Schematic (LVS) clean. The final layout design was streamed out to a GDSII file.
  Tools utilized: Cadence Virtuoso, UltraSim, Spectre
• Design of an on-chip CMOS feedback amplifier that drives an oscilloscope input: Constructed an Operational-Transconductance-Amplifier (OTA) with a maximum supply current of 250 uA and a closed loop gain of 8. Performed DC simulation on the OTA to obtain DC operating points, transient analysis for the settling time and overshoot accuracy for the input step response, AC analysis for estimating different gains, and finally, estimated the integrated noise.
  Tools utilized: Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre
• Optimizing and synthesizing the DWARF-7 CNN accelerator: Modified a high-level-synthesis (HLS) model of the DWARF-7 Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) accelerator to a Pareto optimal level. Once a single assigned layer was refined, entire system was also improved. Furthermore, model was synthesized using Catapult HLS to meet low area and latency targets.
  Tools utilized: SystemC, Catapult HLS
• Understanding network behavior of IoT devices: Set up a diverse range of IoT devices for packet capture using Wireshark. Examined each device's security and privacy metrics by doing protocol analysis (network, transport, application layers), endpoint analysis, and device communication patterns. Additionally, worked on frontend of Thingscope, a tool generating audit reports from PCAP files. Learn more at thingscope.cs.columbia.edu/devices.
  Tools utilized: Wireshark, React.js, Python
• Magnetic interactions in nanoscale Zn-ferrite layers: Inverted Zn-ferrite thin films prepared from radio frequency magnetron sputtering were subjected to different in-situ (in vacuum) and ex-situ (in air) annealing treatments. Using the magnetic component model, the different magnetic interactions can be explained in terms of superparamagnetic (SPM), paramagnetic (PM), and ferrimagnetic (FM) contributions. Distinct magnetic properties emanating from in-situ annealing compared to the ex-situ annealing have been ascribed to the non-zero Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratio, leading to the different magnetic interactions. The anisotropy is found out to be the key parameter that governs the behavior of in-situ annealed samples.
  Tools utilized: MATLAB, Jupyter Notebook.
• atomeOS: A Debian-based OS that reduces the carbon footprint of computers by prolonging battery life, reducing resource load and power usage. Learn more at www.discoverswattle.com/atomeOS.
  Tools utilized: C, Perl, Linux kernel, LXQt.
• Sunrise simulation alarm: An Arduino Nano based sunrise simulating alarm clock. All interfacing is done through I2C protocol and the design works efficiently. Final report can be viewed at github.com/saivittalb/sunrise-simulation-alarm.
  Tools utilized: Arduino, C, C++, Fritzing.
• MergeURL: A secure URL merging and shortening service for up to 5 different links. Learn more at mergeurl.com.
  Tools utilized: MongoDB, Flask, React.js, Node.js.
• CovSense: An Android-based contact tracing app which enables people to self-isolate if they have been in close proximity to someone tested positive for COVID-19. Learn more at github.com/saivittalb/covsense.
  Tools utilized: Java, Android, Firebase Auth, Firestore, Firebase Functions, Nearby Messages API.

Technical Skills

This is a brief description of my work. I generally try to keep my life as private as I can. In case you want to know more about me and my work, check out my social links provided on the webpage. I can also provide my résumé on request. Drop in a message in the "Contact" section if you are looking forward to reaching out to me or scheduling a call with me.