Paweł Woźniak, who is completing his Bachelor of Engineering degree at the University, earned a coveted work placement year with computing and electronics giant 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 the Professor’s equipment – and the company wrote the program named ACAT that is now his main computer interface.
“I got involved by offering to help one of the Intel engineers who provides technical support to the professor,” explained Polish-born Mr Woźniak. “He was kind enough to let me go with him, and then as our cooperation worked out pretty well it became a more regular thing.”
During his work placement year, Mr Woźniak visited Professor Hawking six times. He began by analysing and fixing problems that impacted the operation of the blink sensor. He also provided a vital back-up system. He dealt with some of the issues onsite, 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,” Mr Woźniak affirmed.
“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.”
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