Forging Ahead: Research Network Concentrates on AI and Integrated Circuits

As the demand for efficient hardware in artificial intelligence (AI) and integrated circuits rises, there is a crucial need to educate students and researchers on the intricacies of designing and creating these advanced tools.

Addressing this imperative, Shantanu Chakrabartty, the Clifford W. Murphy Professor and Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Education at the McKelvey School of Engineering, spearheads the Neuromorphic Integrated Circuits Education (NICE) research coordination network. This initiative is made possible by a three-year, $900,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. Collaborating with Chakrabartty are Andreas Andreou, a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering, and Jason Eshraghian, an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Neuromorphic engineering, drawing inspiration from the human brain's functionality, has experienced significant growth alongside the escalating demand for AI and integrated circuits. By studying the brain's structure and neural mechanisms, researchers aim to develop hardware and algorithms that optimize computational performance while minimizing power consumption.

The NICE network aims to empower researchers with essential design skills applicable to integrated circuit design, addressing the education and workforce gap in this field. Leveraging the infrastructure of the annual Telluride Neuromorphic Cognition Engineering Workshop, the project will facilitate discussion groups, hands-on training events, and the formation of research cohorts focused on advancing neuromorphic integrated circuits.