UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Computing
The UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Computing is pioneering brain-inspired, energy-efficient computing technologies to address the sustainability challenges facing today’s digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence systems.
AIM of the Centre
To become a sustainable focal point across a range of relevant disciplines for networking and collaboration in fundamental research and technology in neuromorphic computing. The Centre will address the challenges faced by today’s digital information and communication infrastructure and emerging artificial intelligence systems and services. and services.
The holistic interdisciplinary research framework delivered by the Centre involves data derived from human neuronal cells, new computational algorithms, materials science, photonics, opto- and nano-electronics, and novel hardware development. Our pioneering research will combine the study of living human neurons with that of advanced computing platforms to co-develop the future of non-digital and hybrid computing.
The Centre’s consortium is led by the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AiPT) and includes world-leading researchers from the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the University of Southampton, Queen Mary University of London, Loughborough University, the University of Strathclyde and Aston University.
The core team holds cumulatively broad and complementary expertise in neuroscience, non-conventional computing algorithms, photonics, opto- and nano-electronics and materials science. The Centre is supported by a wide network of industry partners, including Microsoft Research, Thales, BT, QinetiQ, Nokia Bell Labs, Hewlett Packard Labs, Leonardo UK, Northrop Grumman and a number of small or medium enterprises.
Mission
Our mission is to create an inclusive research ecosystem capable of generating new knowledge in the field of neuromorphic computing. Through a constantly expanding network with a number of players across the UK and worldwide, we aim to merge novel fundamental computing concepts with new computing hardware technologies and demonstrate the potential of neuromorphic computing to solve the energy consumption bottleneck threatening environmental sustainability and AI progress. We are actively supporting knowledge transfer, impact, and innovation and we welcome involvement with the Centre from any academics and industries having an interest or expertise in neuromorphic computing and its applications, education and training, road mapping, collaborative research and industrial activities.
Challenges we Address
Current computing and information processing technologies strongly rely on classical well-established digital concepts and architectures. However, progress rates of digital technologies are flattening out and the growing gap between what is needed by emerging applications and services and what can be delivered is exacerbated by the unsustainable computational cost and energy consumption of global ICT infrastructure. This is further intensified by the growing, large-scale use of AI. There is an increased need to develop unconventional, nature-inspired computing approaches and systems that are inherently more efficient, scalable, and adaptable than traditional computing architectures.
Research Themes
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