People: Charles Sodini

Bio

Charles G. Sodini received his BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University, in 1974, and his MS and PhD degrees in the same from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1981 and 1982, respectively. He was a member of the technical staff at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories from 1974 to 1982, where he worked on the design of MOS memory. He joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in 1983, where he is currently the LeBel Professor of Electrical Engineering. His research interests are focused on medical electronic systems for monitoring and imaging. These systems require state-of-the-art mixed signal integrated circuit and systems with extremely low energy dissipation.

Along with Professor Roger T. Howe, Dr. Sodini is a co-author of an undergraduate text on integrated circuits and devices entitled Microelectronics: An Integrated Approach. He also studied the Hong Kong/South China electronics industry in 1996-97 and has continued to study the globalization of the electronics industry.

Dr. Sodini was a co-founder of SMaL Camera Technologies and has served on a variety of IEEE Conference Committees, including IEDM where he was the 1989 General Chairman. He has served on the IEEE Electron Device Society Administrative Committee and was president of the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society from 2002-2004. He serves on a variety of industry boards and is a Fellow of the IEEE. Most recently, Dr. Sodini founded and leads the Medical Electronic Device Realization Center (MEDRC); which works to establish a partnership among the microelectronics industry, the medical devices industry, medical professionals, and MIT. Working together, MEDRC seeks improvements in the cost and performance of medical electronic devices similar to those that have occurred in personal computers, communication devices and consumer electronics using advanced technology with wireless sensors.

Research

Professor Sodini’s research interests are focused on medical electronic systems for monitoring chronic disease and imaging,with emphasis on ultrasound technology and image processing. These systems require state-of-the-art mixed signal integrated circuit and systems with extremely low energy dissipation. The requirements of the systems dictate the areas in which innovation must take place. This approach allows students to understand and play a role in the big picture while simultaneously concentrating on specific innovations in a tightly focused project. The program is a fertile ground for students to learn and appreciate the importance of breadth across many disciplines for systems optimization as well as depth in their particular project. He is the co-founder of the Medical Electronic Device Realization Center that is revolutionizing medical diagnostics by bringing healthcare directly to the individual and creating enabling technology for future information-driven healthcare systems.