Neuromorphic computing in the spotlight
Forschungszentrum Jülich and partners organise international conference
23rd May 2024
From June 3rd to 6th, international researchers and those interested in the fields of computational neuroscience and artificial intelligence will meet at the International Conference on Neuromorphic Computing and Engineering (ICNCE) at the Eurogress in Aachen, Germany. Artificial Intelligence (AI) from the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia is therefore moving into the focus of international research and increasingly also into the interest of companies that offer or want to use AI.
"Neuromorphic Computing exploits the properties of the biological brain in the design of computer hardware and software", says scientist Abigail Morrison from Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany. Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University are pursuing this idea together with high-tech companies in the interdisciplinary NEUROTEC project. The aim is to develop new materials and electronic components for neuro-inspired hardware. The future cluster NeuroSys, also a joint project of the two research institutions, is also researching neuromorphic AI chips for autonomous artificial intelligence systems. Both projects are funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and supported by AMO GmbH – a non-profit research company that contributes its expertise in nanotechnology.
NEUROTEC II will be presenting its latest neuromorphic AI chip to the public at ICNCE. AiML (Analogue in Memory Logic), a founding project of Forschungszentrum Jülich, will be showing its evaluation board for the NEUROTEC I chip and the recently founded start-up RooflineAI GmbH from Aachen will be presenting a software development environment for the smooth transfer of AI tasks to energy-efficient neuromorphic chips.
In the EBRAINS 2.0 project, the research centre in Jülich is cooperating with partners throughout Europe. The digital research infrastructure EBRAINS (European Brain Infrastructures) developed in this project allows scientists to explore the complexity of the brain using AI and supercomputing tools, high-resolution 3D atlases, simulations and "digital twins". The German branch of the research infrastructure is coordinated by Forschungszentrum Jülich and is represented at the ICNCE. And: EBRAINS also provides access to the largest neuromorphic systems currently available in the EU, BrainScaleS and SpiNNaker.
More information about the programme: www.icnce-2024.de/Programme
From coal to AI
North Rhine-Westphalia is becoming increasingly attractive for companies with potential fields of application in artificial intelligence. The proximity to RWTH Aachen University and the research centre in Jülich with its AI expertise offers a decisive locational advantage. In terms of structural change – from coal to AI – a new innovation ecosystem with new jobs and future-orientated value creation is being created. First regional companies are now participating in NEUROTEC II, including Aixtron, Surface, AixACCT and Amotronics. More and more companies and institutions around the city of Aachen from the automotive and electrical industries are joining the NeuroSys future cluster, thus facilitating the direct transfer from science to industry. They are all united by the realisation that AI can learn a lot from its biological role model – in particular the efficient use of energy.
What is neuromorphic computing?
In neuromorphic computing, researchers take their lead from the human brain when developing computer systems suitable for AI, as it works very energy-efficiently. This is because the brain can process and store data in the same place. In today's computer systems, on the other hand, the computing and storage units are separate – data has to be exchanged between the processor and memory at a high rate. This costs energy. In the so-called "computing-in-memory" approach, which is modelled on the brain, computing and storage operations take place on the same architecture.
Ansprechpartner
Prof. R. Waser
Director of Electronic Materials (PGI-7)
- Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI)
- Electronic Materials (PGI-7)
Room 21
Dr. rer. nat. Alexander Krüger
Wissenschaftlicher Koordinator PGI-SO
- Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI)
Room 4027
