Engineering student helps Stephen Hawking find his voice

19th October 2017

Source: University of Huddersfield

Engineering student helps Stephen Hawking find his voice

A student at the University of Huddersfield has had the responsibility of making sure that Stephen Hawking keeps his synthesised voice plus the ability to communicate his influential ideas. Paweł Woźniak, who is completing his Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University, earned a coveted work placement year with Intel, at its Swindon base. He had a wide range of tasks and responsibilities and they included an assignment to visit the physicist in Cambridge in order to troubleshoot the devices he uses to communicate.

The devices include a 'blink sensor' that the Professor uses to select words via an infrared switch mounted on his spectacles and the synthesiser that produces the famous voice. The history of the technology dates back to 1980s, but since the late 1990s, Intel has had the responsibility of maintaining Professor’s equipment, and the company wrote the programme named ACAT that is now the Professor’s main computer interface.

“I got involved by offering my help with the blink sensor to one of the Intel engineers who provide technical support to the Professor,” explained Woźniak. “He was kind enough to let me go with him, and then as our co-operation worked out pretty well it became a more regular thing.”

During his work-placement year, Woźniak paid six visits to Stephen Hawking. He began by analysing and fixing problems that impacted the operation of the blink sensor, and he also provided a vital back-up system. He dealt with some of the issues on site, but he also took some of the circuitry back to Swindon for testing and improvement.

“Meeting Stephen Hawking was one of the greatest experiences of my life, as I have a very strong interest in science in general – including maths, physics, and cosmology – and his work has always inspired me,” said Woźniak.

“I enjoy projects that help people improve their lives. It’s great to realise that modern technology has allowed the Professor to continue communicating his breakthrough discoveries to the world even after he lost almost all of his movement.”

Woźniak's University of Huddersfield degree course is in Electronic Engineering and Computer Systems, and his expertise in practical electronics – analogue and digital – has impressed his personal tutor, Dr Pavlos Lazaridis.

The Intel work placement was earned after a competitive process that included a day-long assessment. Then came a packed 13 months in which Woźniak's wide range of experiences included working in a lab with High-Performance Computer Systems, but also working closely with customers and supporting various events, such as the HPE Discover London 2016.

Now back at the University of Huddersfield, Woźniak has embarked on a final-year project that draws inspiration from his year at Intel.

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