via The Society of Petroleum Engineers
Scientists have given a fascinating new insight into the next steps to develop fast, energy-efficient, future computing systems that use light instead of electrons to process and store information – incorporating hardware inspired directly by the functioning of the human brain.
A team of scientists, including Professor C. David Wright from the University of Exeter, has explored the future potential for computer systems by using photonics in place of conventional electronics.
The article is published today (January 29th 2021) in the prestigious journal Nature Photonics.
The study focuses on potential solutions to one of the world’s most pressing computing problems – how to develop computing technologies to process this data in a fast and energy efficient way.
Contemporary computers are based on the von Neumann architecture in which the fast Central Processing Unit (CPU) is physically separated from the much slower program and data memory.
This means computing speed is limited and power is wasted by the need to continuously transfer data to and from the memory and processor over bandwidth-limited and energy-inefficient electrical interconnects – known as the von Neumann bottleneck.
As a result, it has been estimated that more than 50 % of the power of modern computing systems is wasted simply in this moving around of data.
Professor C David Wright, from the University of Exeter’s Department of Engineering, and one of the co-authors of the study explains “Clearly, a new approach is needed – one that can fuse together the core information processing tasks of computing and memory, one that can incorporate directly in hardware the ability to learn, adapt and evolve, and one that does away with energy-sapping and speed-limiting electrical interconnects.”
Photonic neuromorphic computing is one such approach. Here, signals are communicated and processed using light rather than electrons, giving access to much higher bandwidths (processor speeds) and vastly reducing energy losses.
Moreover, the researchers try to make the computing hardware itself isomorphic with biological processing system (brains), by developing devices to directly mimic the basic functions of brain neurons and synapses, then connecting these together in networks that can offer fast, parallelised, adaptive processing for artificial intelligence and machine learning applications.
The state-of-the-art of such photonic ‘brain-like’ computing, and its likely future development, is the focus of an article entitled “Photonics for artificial intelligence and neuromorphic computing” published in the prestigious journal Nature Photonics by a leading international team of researchers from the USA, Germany and UK.
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Photonic computing
- High-intensity spatial-mode steerable frequency up-converter toward on-chip integration
Electronic Science discusses high-intensity spatial-mode steerable frequency up-converter toward on-chip integration. Integrated photonic devices consisting of micro-lasers, amplifiers, ...
- ECTC 2024 to highlight emerging technologies enabling heterogeneous integration and photonics
The IEEE Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC) is the world’s leading forum for unveiling, discussing, and exhibiting the latest advancements in microelectronics packaging and ...
- Quantum Machines and Hamamatsu Photonics Team Up for Enhanced Quantum Computing Control
Quantum Machines (QM), the leading provider of processor-based quantum controllers™ today announced the integration of its advanced Observe, with Hamamatsu's high-speed ORCA® -Quest camera. The ...
- POET Announces Additional Private Placement Financing for CAD$10 Million
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATESTORONTO, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- POET ...
- 3 Quantum Computing Stocks That Could Be Multibaggers in the Making: April Edition
InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Quantum computing technology and applications across sectors are advancing ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Photonic computing
[google_news title=”” keyword=”photonic computing” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Neuromorphic computing
- 'Inspired by the human brain': Intel debuts neuromorphic system that aims to mimic grey matter with a clear aim — making the machine exponentially faster and much more power ...
Intel's Hala Point is the world's largest “brain-based” computing system with 1.15 billion artificial neurons.
- Sandia Pushes The Neuromorphic AI Envelope With Hala Point “Supercomputer”
Not many devices in the datacenter have been etched with the Intel 4 process, which is the chip maker’s spin on 7 nanometer extreme ultraviolet immersion ...
- Intel aims for sustainable AI with world’s largest neuromorphic system
Intel says it has built the world’s largest neuromorphic system. Code-named Hala Point, the large-scale neuromorphic system, initially deployed at Sandia National Laboratories, utilises Intel’s Loihi ...
- Intel Develops World's Largest Neuromorphic Computer System for Advancing AI Research
Intel has developed the world's largest neuromorphic computer system, a hardware stack modeled after the complexities of the human brain.
- Intel Unveils World’s Largest Neuromorphic Computer, Drawing Inspiration from Human Brain to Train AI
Continue reading Mike Davies, the visionary director of Intel Labs’ Neuromorphic Computing Lab, underscores the critical necessity for more efficient AI models in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Neuromorphic computing
[google_news title=”” keyword=”neuromorphic computing” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]