UK’s £5.6 Million Centre to Develop Brain-Inspired, Energy-Efficient Computing Technologies with University of Southampton Involvement

UK’s £5.6 Million Centre to Develop Brain-Inspired, Energy-Efficient Computing Technologies with University of Southampton Involvement

(IN BRIEF) A new £5.6 million UK centre, led by Aston University and involving the University of Southampton and other leading institutions, is set to pioneer brain-inspired computing technologies. The centre will focus on developing energy-efficient neuromorphic computing solutions to address sustainability challenges in digital infrastructure and AI systems. Researchers aim to replicate brain functions using low-power, photonic hardware to significantly reduce energy consumption and improve scalability, while also aiming to reduce the global energy footprint of ICT.

(PRESS RELEASE) SOUTHAMPTON, 7-May-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The UK is set to establish a pioneering centre dedicated to advancing neuromorphic computing, a brain-inspired approach to creating energy-efficient computing technologies. The new UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Computing, spearheaded by Aston University and backed by a £5.6 million investment from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), will focus on developing the next generation of sustainable digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

In addition to Aston University, the University of Southampton will contribute to this groundbreaking initiative, alongside world-leading institutions including the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Queen Mary University of London, Loughborough University, and the University of Strathclyde. The collaboration will bring together experts from diverse fields such as neuroscience, non-conventional computing algorithms, photonics, nanoelectronics, and materials science.

Neuromorphic computing aims to replicate the brain’s structural and functional principles, seeking to bridge the gap in understanding how the human brain processes information at both cellular and network levels. To achieve this, researchers will blend stem-cell-derived human neuron experiments with cutting-edge computational models, low-power algorithms, and innovative photonic hardware.

Dr Dimitra Georgiadou, a co-director of the centre from the University of Southampton, emphasized the project’s potential to reduce the power consumption of electronic devices by developing novel materials and device architectures that mimic brain computations. The research will explore the use of photonic hardware, leveraging light to process information, marking a significant step toward creating more energy-efficient computing systems capable of handling numerous tasks simultaneously.

Professor Rhein Parri, neurophysiologist and co-director of the centre at Aston University, highlighted the unique opportunity presented by the combination of living human neuron studies with advanced computing technologies to co-develop future computing systems.

The centre’s work will be supported by a network of industry partners including Microsoft Research, Thales, BT, QinetiQ, Nokia Bell Labs, Hewlett Packard Labs, Leonardo, Northrop Grumman, and various small to medium enterprises, all of whom will contribute to enhancing the centre’s societal impact.

Professor Sergei K. Turitsyn, director of the centre and AIPT, explained that the project’s ambition is not only to advance neuromorphic technologies but also to establish a globally recognized UK research brand in this field. The goal is to unite the UK’s brightest minds to develop sustainable computing systems that will have long-lasting impact.

The research will also tackle the growing global energy footprint of information and communication technologies (ICT), particularly driven by the surge in AI growth. While current AI systems are dependent on high-power traditional computing hardware, the human brain achieves remarkable computation and communication tasks using only 20 watts. By emulating this efficiency, the centre aims to make significant strides in making AI and other computational tasks more sustainable.

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SOURCE: University of Southampton