Indian Institute of Science creates a “Brain-on-a-chip” technology in neuromorphic computing

Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has created a “Brain-on-a-chip” technology capable of storing and processing data in an astounding 16,500 states within a molecular firm. This groundbreaking development in neuromorphic or brain-inspired computing technology can revolutionize artificial intelligence and computing research and allow India to play in the global AI race. The IISc team has created an efficient neuromorphic accelerator, which can store and process data within the same location, similar to the human brain. 

The breakthrough being reported on Thursday in the journal Nature was achieved by a group of scientists and students led by Prof. Sreetosh Goswami at the centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSe), IISc. The initiative is a huge step forward over traditional digital computers in which data storage and processing are limited to just two states. The platform developed by the IISc team drastically cuts down both the time and energy involved, making these calculations a lot faster and easier.

With support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the IISc team is now developing an integrated neuromorphic chip. Sreetosh Goswami 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.”

They have developed a type of semiconductor device called Memristor, but it uses a metal-organic film rather than silicon-based conventional technology. This enables the Memristor to mimic the way the biological brain processes information using networks of neurons and synapses. Unlike conventional computers that adhere strictly to their programming, these systems can learn from their environment, potentially taking AI to unprecedented heights.

This neuromorphic platform could potentially bring complex Al tasks, such as training Large Language Models (LLMS)-like ChatGPT to personal devices like laptops and smartphones.

The molecular system at the heart of this innovation was designed by Prof Sreebrata Goswami, a visiting professor at CeNSE. It utilizes the natural movement of ions to process and store data like the human brain, creating a "molecular diary" that functions like a computer but with far greater energy efficiency and space-saving capabilities.

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,” explains Sreebrata Goswami.

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.

The team includes several students and research fellows at IISc. The team also collaborated with Stanley Williams, Professor at Texas A&M University, and Damien Thompson, Professor at the University of Limerick.