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ESIEE Paris launches VIRTU-CHIP, an immersive educational platform dedicated to microelectronics
Developed at ESIEE Paris, VIRTU-CHIP is an immersive educational platform that allows users to interactively explore the design, manufacture and use of a microelectronic chip produced in the school’s cleanrooms.
A new educational activity to help understand microelectronics
With VIRTU-CHIP, ESIEE Paris is developing a new way of making microelectronics accessible, through an interactive programme dedicated to semiconductor technologies.
The platform guides users through every stage of a chip’s life cycle: from its design and manufacture in a cleanroom to its integration into an educational kit. The aim is to make complex concepts accessible through an immersive, visual and progressive experience.
Focus on the cleanrooms at ESIEE Paris
Cleanrooms enable the manufacture of micro-components 10 to 100 times smaller than a human hair, which form the core of complex systems: sensors for the urban environment, neural implants for functional rehabilitation in the cerebral cortex and retina, and connected devices. It is in this ultra-controlled environment that the chips used in VIRTU-CHIP are designed, showcasing ESIEE Paris’s technological expertise.
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A real-life example:a microchip used in biotechnology for PCR tests
At the heart of the system, the platform uses a microelectronic chipdesigned and manufactured in the cleanrooms at ESIEE Paris. This chip acts as an integrated micro-thermocycler, capable of precisely controlling temperature cycles within an area of just a few square millimetres.
This technology has direct applications in PCR* testing, which requires highly precise temperature control to amplify and detect the presence of a specific gene. By combining microelectronics, sensors, embedded electronics and biotechnology, VIRTU-CHIP provides a concrete example of the applications of microsystems.
* PCR : (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
Discover cleanroom processes step by step
The educational trail enables visitors to:
Discover the environment and operation of a cleanroom
Explore technological processes in microelectronics
Understand every stage of production, from thin-film deposition to final testing
Experiment an electronics kit for setting up the chip (calibration and programming of the thermal cycles associated with a PCR)
This approach aims to demystify semiconductor manufacturing by providing an immersive and interactive learning environment. The platform has been designed for use on a computer.
An educational project led by pupils and supported by the teaching staff
VIRTU-CHIP was developed as part of a project led by the supervising team: Lionel Rousseau, Head of the Department of Microelectronics and Microsystems (SMM), and lecturers Olivier Français and Patrick Poulichet. The project was carried out by three students from the IMAC (Image, Multimedia, Audiovisual & Communication) programme.
This project demonstrates the pupils’ ability to apply cross-curricular skills to create an innovative tool for knowledge transfer:
- Web development
- UX/UI
- 3D scanning
- Educational content design
- Science communication
Designated “Year of Engineering 2025–2026”
As part of the Year of Engineering 2025–2026, VIRTU-CHIP has been officially accredited by the national programme. This accreditation recognises innovative educational initiatives that bring together schools, research institutions, businesses and the general public, whilst promoting scientific and technological professions and knowledge for a sustainable and responsible future.
The Year of Engineering is organised by the CNRS, the MESR and the Académie des technologies. The website thus enjoys national recognition, which highlights the platform’s educational and scientific quality.
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