IISc Bengaluru Scientists Develop Revolutionary 'Brain-on-a-Chip' Technology

IISc Bengaluru scientists develop revolutionary 'brain on a chip' tech | Bengaluru News - Times of India

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru BENGALURU: In a groundbreaking development that could revolutionise artificial intelligence and computing, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have created a "brain on a chip" technology capable of storing and processing data in an astounding 16,500 states within a molecular film. The scientific paper on this advancement by the team -- Sreetosh Goswami, Navkanta Bhat, Deepak Sharma, Santi Prasad Rath, Bidyabhusan Kundu, and Sreebrata Goswami from IISc's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, Anil Korkmaz and R Stanley Williams from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, and Damien Thompson from the Department of Physics, University of Limerick, Ireland -- was published Wednesday in the prestigious journal Nature. While the technology breakthrough happened entirely at IISc, researchers from Texas and Limerick collaborated for simulation and modelling. Mimicking the Human Brain The new technology, which marks a quantum leap from traditional binary computing systems, belongs to the realm of neuromorphic, or brain-inspired, analogue computing. Unlike conventional computers that adhere strictly to their programming, these systems can learn from their environment, potentially taking artificial intelligence to unprecedented heights. Sreetosh Goswami, who led the research team at IISc's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, said: "Neuromorphic computing has had its fair share of unsolved challenges for over a decade. With this discovery, we have almost nailed the perfect system -- a rare feat." Revolutionising AI Hardware This neuromorphic platform could potentially bring complex AI tasks, such as training Large Language Models (LLMs) -- like ChatGPT -- to personal devices like laptops and smartphones. The technology addresses two major hurdles in AI development: lack of optimal hardware and energy inefficiency. The molecular system at the heart of this innovation was designed by Prof Sreebrata Goswami, a visiting professor at CeNSE. It utilises the natural movement of ions to process and store data in a manner similar to the human brain, creating a "molecular diary" that functions like a computer but with far greater energy efficiency and space-saving capabilities. Precision & Efficiency The team overcame significant challenges to achieve the precision needed to measure the molecular states. They designed a custom circuit board capable of measuring voltages as tiny as a millionth of a volt at very fast sampling rates, setting a new benchmark for electronic accuracy. To demonstrate the technology's capabilities, the team recreated Nasa's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Telescope using just a tabletop computer, accomplishing the task in a fraction of the time and energy that traditional computers would require. National Importance & Future Prospects Prof Navakanta Bhat, who led the circuit and system design, emphasised the national importance of this research: "In the context of the India Semiconductor Mission, this development could be a game-changer, revolutionising both industrial, consumer, and strategic applications. India is now poised to take a leadership role on the global stage." With support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the IISc team is now focused on developing an integrated neuromorphic chip. Goswami said: "This is a completely homegrown effort, from materials to the circuits and systems. With the right funding, we are well on our way to translating this technology into a system-on-a-chip." Researchers feel that the breakthrough could position India as a leader in global technology innovation, particularly in AI hardware development. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, its rolling out reels and reels of tales. If the first post office or a telephone connection paints one colour, the Stamp of a stock market scam or the 'Jewel Thieves' scandal paint yet another colour. If failure of a sounding rocket was a stepping stone, sending 104 satellites in one go was a podium. If farmer suicides are a bad climax, growing number of Unicorns are a grand entry. Chethan Kumar, Senior Assistant Editor, The Times of India, who alternates between the mundane goings-on of the hoi polloi and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and Jawans, feels: There's always a story, one just has to find it.

Indian scientists develop 'Brain on a Chip' tech, say can democratise - Times of India

BENGALURU: In a groundbreaking development that could revolutionise artificial intelligence and computing, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have created a "brain on a chip" technology capable of storing and processing data in an astounding 16,500 states within a molecular film. The scientific paper on this advancement by the team -- Sreetosh Goswami, Navkanta Bhat, Deepak Sharma, Santi Prasad Rath, Bidyabhusan Kundu and Sreebrata Goswami from IISc's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, Anil Korkmaz and R Stanley Williams from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, and Damien Thompson from the Department of Physics, University of Limerick, Ireland -- was published Wednesday in the prestigious journal Nature. While the technology breakthrough happened entirely at IISc, researchers from Texas and Limerick collaborated for simulation and modelling. Mimicking the human brain The new technology, which marks a quantum leap from traditional binary computing systems, belongs to the realm of neuromorphic, or brain-inspired, analog computing. Unlike conventional computers that adhere strictly to their programming, these systems can learn from their environment, potentially taking artificial intelligence to unprecedented heights. Sreetosh Goswami, who led the research team at IISc's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, said: "Neuromorphic computing has had its fair share of unsolved challenges for over a decade. With this discovery, we have almost nailed the perfect system -- a rare feat." Revolutionising AI hardware This neuromorphic platform could potentially bring complex AI tasks, such as training Large Language Models (LLMs) -- like ChatGPT -- to personal devices like laptops and smartphones. The technology addresses two major hurdles in AI development: lack of optimal hardware and energy inefficiency. The molecular system at the heart of this innovation was designed by Prof Sreebrata Goswami, a visiting professor at CeNSE. It utilises the natural movement of ions to process and store data in a manner similar to the human brain, creating a "molecular diary" that functions like a computer but with far greater energy efficiency and space-saving capabilities. Precision and efficiency The team overcame significant challenges to achieve the precision needed to measure the molecular states. They designed a custom circuit board capable of measuring voltages as tiny as a millionth of a volt at very fast sampling rates, setting a new benchmark for electronic accuracy. To demonstrate the technology's capabilities, the team recreated Nasa's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Telescope using just a tabletop computer, accomplishing the task in a fraction of the time and energy that traditional computers would require. National importance and future prospects Prof Navakanta Bhat, who led the circuit and system design, emphasised the national importance of this research: "In the context of the India Semiconductor Mission, this development could be a game-changer, revolutionising both industrial, consumer, and strategic applications. India is now poised to take a leadership role on the global stage." With support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the IISc team is now focused on developing an integrated neuromorphic chip. Goswami said: "This is a completely homegrown effort, from materials to the circuits and systems. With the right funding, we are well on our way to translating this technology into a system-on-a-chip." Researchers feel that the breakthrough could position India as a leader in global technology innovation, particularly in AI hardware development. As a young democracy grows out of adolescence, its rolling out reels and reels of tales. If the first post office or a telephone connection paints one colour, the Stamp of a stock market scam or the 'Jewel Thieves' scandal paint yet another colour. If failure of a sounding rocket was a stepping stone, sending 104 satellites in one go was a podium. If farmer suicides are a bad climax, growing number of Unicorns are a grand entry. Chethan Kumar, Senior Assistant Editor, The Times of India, who alternates between the mundane goings-on of the hoi polloi and the wonder-filled worlds of scientists and scamsters, politicians and Jawans, feels: There's always a story, one just has to find it.

IISc researchers develop 'brain on a chip' that can store and process data in 16,500 states within molecular film

In a pioneering development poised to transform artificial intelligence and computing, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have introduced a revolutionary "brain on a chip" technology. This innovation is capable of storing and processing data in an astonishing 16,500 states within a molecular film. The groundbreaking study detailing this advancement was published Wednesday in the esteemed journal Nature. The research team includes Sreetosh Goswami, Navkanta Bhat, Deepak Sharma, Santi Prasad Rath, Bidyabhusan Kundu, and Sreebrata Goswami from IISc's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering. They were joined by Anil Korkmaz and R. Stanley Williams from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, as well as Damien Thompson from the Department of Physics at the University of Limerick, Ireland. While the core technological breakthrough was achieved at IISc, the collaboration with Texas A&M and the University of Limerick contributed crucial simulation and modeling efforts. Mimicking the human brain This new technology represents a significant advancement from traditional binary computing systems, venturing into the domain of neuromorphic or brain-inspired analog computing. Unlike conventional computers, which follow predefined programming, neuromorphic systems have the capability to learn from their environment, potentially elevating artificial intelligence to new levels. Sreetosh Goswami, who led the research team at IISc's Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, said: "Neuromorphic computing has had its fair share of unsolved challenges for over a decade. With this discovery, we have almost nailed the perfect system -- a rare feat." Revolutionising AI hardware This neuromorphic platform could potentially bring complex AI tasks, such as training Large Language Models (LLMs) -- like ChatGPT -- to personal devices like laptops and smartphones. The technology addresses two major hurdles in AI development: lack of optimal hardware and energy inefficiency. The molecular system at the heart of this innovation was designed by Prof Sreebrata Goswami, a visiting professor at CeNSE. It utilises the natural movement of ions to process and store data in a manner similar to the human brain, creating a "molecular diary" that functions like a computer but with far greater energy efficiency and space-saving capabilities. (with ToI inputs)

Neuromorphic Computing: IISc scientists develop brain-inspired analog computing platform capable of storing, processing data

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a brain-inspired analog computing platform capable of storing and processing data in an astonishing 16,500 conductance states within a molecular film. Published on September 11 in the journal Nature, this breakthrough represents a step forward over traditional digital computers in which data storage and processing are limited to just two states, the IISc said. In a press release, the institute said that such a platform could potentially bring complex AI tasks, like training Large Language Models (LLMs), to personal devices like laptops and smartphones, thus taking us closer to democratising the development of AI tools. These developments are currently restricted to resource-heavy data centres, due to a lack of energy-efficient hardware. With silicon electronics nearing saturation, designing brain-inspired accelerators that can work alongside silicon chips to deliver faster, more efficient AI is also becoming crucial. "Neuromorphic computing has had its fair share of unsolved challenges for over a decade," explained Sreetosh Goswami, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, who led the research team. "With this discovery, we have almost nailed the perfect system - a rare feat," he said. According to IISc, the fundamental operation underlying most AI algorithms is quite basic - matrix multiplication, a concept taught in high school maths. But in digital computers, these calculations hog a lot of energy. The platform developed by the IISc team drastically cuts down both the time and energy involved, making these calculations a lot faster and easier. The molecular system at the heart of the platform was designed by Sreebrata Goswami, Visiting Professor at CeNSE. As molecules and ions wiggle and move within a material film, they create countless unique memory states, many of which have been inaccessible so far. Most digital devices are only able to access two states (high and low conductance), without being able to tap into the infinite number of intermediate states possible. By using precisely timed voltage pulses, the IISc team found a way to effectively trace a much larger number of molecular movements, and map each of these to a distinct electrical signal, forming an extensive "molecular diary" of different states. "This project brought together the precision of electrical engineering with the creativity of chemistry, letting us control molecular kinetics very precisely inside an electronic circuit powered by nanosecond voltage pulses," explained Goswami. "Tapping into these tiny molecular changes allowed the team to create a highly precise and efficient neuromorphic accelerator, which can store and process data within the same location, similar to the human brain. Such accelerators can be seamlessly integrated with silicon circuits to boost their performance and energy efficiency," the IISc said. IISc researchers said the key challenge that the team faced was characterising the various conductance states, which proved impossible using existing equipment. The team designed a custom circuit board that could measure voltages as tiny as a millionth of a volt, to pinpoint these individual states with unprecedented accuracy. It also turned this scientific discovery into a technological feat. The team was able to recreate NASA's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Space Telescope data - originally created by a supercomputer - using just a tabletop computer. They were also able to do this at a fraction of the time and energy that traditional computers would need. Using their AI accelerator, the team recreated NASA's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Space Telescope data on a tabletop computer - achieving this in a fraction of the time and energy required by traditional systems, it said. The team includes several students and research fellows at IISc. They also collaborated with Stanley Williams, Professor at Texas A&M University and Damien Thompson, Professor at the University of Limerick, it added. The researchers believe that this breakthrough could be one of India's biggest leaps in AI hardware, putting the country on the map of global technology innovation. Navakanta Bhat, Professor at CeNSE and an expert in silicon electronics led the circuit and system design in this project. "What stands out is how we have transformed complex physics and chemistry understanding into groundbreaking technology for AI hardware," Goswami explained. "In the context of the India Semiconductor Mission, this development could be a game-changer, revolutionising industrial, consumer and strategic applications. The national importance of such research cannot be overstated," he said. With support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the IISc team is now focused on developing a fully indigenous integrated neuromorphic chip. "This is a completely home-grown effort, from materials to circuits and systems," he emphasised. "We are well on our way to translating this technology into a system-on-a-chip," he added. Published - September 12, 2024 03:57 pm IST Read Comments

IISc scientists develop brain-inspired analog computing platform capable of storing, processing data

In a press release, the institute said that such a platform could potentially bring complex AI tasks, like training Large Language Models (LLMs), to personal devices like laptops and smartphones, thus taking us closer to democratising the development of AI tools. These developments are currently restricted to resource-heavy data centres, due to a lack of energy-efficient hardware. With silicon electronics nearing saturation, designing brain-inspired accelerators that can work alongside silicon chips to deliver faster, more efficient AI is also becoming crucial. "Neuromorphic computing has had its fair share of unsolved challenges for over a decade," explained Sreetosh Goswami, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, who led the research team. "With this discovery, we have almost nailed the perfect system - a rare feat," he said. According to IISc, the fundamental operation underlying most AI algorithms is quite basic - matrix multiplication, a concept taught in high school maths. But in digital computers, these calculations hog a lot of energy. The platform developed by the IISc team drastically cuts down both the time and energy involved, making these calculations a lot faster and easier. The molecular system at the heart of the platform was designed by Sreebrata Goswami, Visiting Professor at CeNSE. As molecules and ions wiggle and move within a material film, they create countless unique memory states, many of which have been inaccessible so far. Most digital devices are only able to access two states (high and low conductance), without being able to tap into the infinite number of intermediate states possible. By using precisely timed voltage pulses, the IISc team found a way to effectively trace a much larger number of molecular movements, and map each of these to a distinct electrical signal, forming an extensive "molecular diary" of different states. "This project brought together the precision of electrical engineering with the creativity of chemistry, letting us control molecular kinetics very precisely inside an electronic circuit powered by nanosecond voltage pulses," explained Goswami. "Tapping into these tiny molecular changes allowed the team to create a highly precise and efficient neuromorphic accelerator, which can store and process data within the same location, similar to the human brain. Such accelerators can be seamlessly integrated with silicon circuits to boost their performance and energy efficiency," the IISc said. IISc researchers said the key challenge that the team faced was characterising the various conductance states, which proved impossible using existing equipment. The team designed a custom circuit board that could measure voltages as tiny as a millionth of a volt, to pinpoint these individual states with unprecedented accuracy. It also turned this scientific discovery into a technological feat. The team was able to recreate NASA's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Space Telescope data - originally created by a supercomputer - using just a tabletop computer. They were also able to do this at a fraction of the time and energy that traditional computers would need. Using their AI accelerator, the team recreated NASA's iconic "Pillars of Creation" image from the James Webb Space Telescope data on a tabletop computer - achieving this in a fraction of the time and energy required by traditional systems, it said. The team includes several students and research fellows at IISc. They also collaborated with Stanley Williams, Professor at Texas A&M University and Damien Thompson, Professor at the University of Limerick, it added. The researchers believe that this breakthrough could be one of India's biggest leaps in AI hardware, putting the country on the map of global technology innovation. Navakanta Bhat, Professor at CeNSE and an expert in silicon electronics led the circuit and system design in this project. "What stands out is how we have transformed complex physics and chemistry understanding into groundbreaking technology for AI hardware," Goswami explained. "In the context of the India Semiconductor Mission, this development could be a game-changer, revolutionising industrial, consumer and strategic applications. The national importance of such research cannot be overstated," he said. With support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the IISc team is now focused on developing a fully indigenous integrated neuromorphic chip. "This is a completely home-grown effort, from materials to circuits and systems," he emphasised. "We are well on our way to translating this technology into a system-on-a-chip," he added. PTI AMP ROH