SYDNEY, Australia – April 26, 2011 – Electronics design software company Altium is proving to be a top choice for universities in North America. York University, University of Tulsa, Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory at Caltech, Stanford University, University du Quebec, University of British Columbia, and Wilkes University are using Altium Designer and NanoBoard FPGA development boards for their classrooms. Projects range from basic PCB board layout to nanosatellite circuitry and power generation.  

“Universities see the inherent value of Altium Designer’s unified platform that includes PCB, FPGA and embedded software in one design solution,” said Bob Potock, Altium’s Director, North America Marketing. “The next generation of designers at these universities will be ahead of the game because Altium allows more time for learning and innovating rather than coordinating a host of disparate software tools. 

Altium believes that these students can change the world with their ideas and the skills to build electronic products. The fact that so many universities are adopting Altium Designer as an electronics design teaching tool is very gratifying.”  

York University, one university that selected Altium Designer, is building a nanosatellite that it hopes to launch within two years. Students are using Altium Designer to lay out circuits to fit within the CubeSat envelope, as well as creating solar cells to generate power for the spacecraft while in the sun that will keep batteries running during an eclipse. Said Hugh Chesser, York University Associate Lecturer of Space Engineering, “Nanosatellites are becoming important for research projects such as the study of climate change. Our students are gaining valuable experience with a tool that makes it easy for them to grasp broader concepts as well as design.” 

The University of Tulsa has used Altium products in the classroom since 1990. Students are using Altium Designer to create PCBs, and an open source door lock system for the labs. Jeff Kohlbeck, Senior Instructor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Tulsa, said, “The University of Tulsa has been a long-time user of Altium because they are always working to simplify the design process. With the NanoBoard 3000 and Altium Designer, we’re able to introduce hardware topics into software-level classes and give students and more complete look at EDA.”