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.

Key points: 

• 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.

• 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 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 are analog computers?

• Analog computers operate on mathematical variables that involve changeable physical quantities like mechanical, electrical, etc.

• These computers utilise continuous values instead of discrete ones, generating analog signals.

• They were widely used in the 1950s-1960s and evolved from code-breaking machines used during World War II.

• Analog computers have limitations in handling problems and may not always provide accurate results due to their reliance on continuous data.

India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)

• India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) has been established as an Independent Business Division under the Digital India Corporation on December 22, 2021. 

• It has been set up to formulate and drive India’s long-term strategies for developing semiconductors and display manufacturing facilities and semiconductor design ecosystem. 

• ISM will implement the schemes for semiconductor and display fabs, compound semiconductor fabs, silicon photonics fabs, MEMS Sensors Fabs and Semiconductor Packaging Units (ATMP/OSAT). 

• The India Semiconductor Mission will be led by global experts in semiconductor and display industry. It will act as the nodal agency for efficient and smooth implementation of the schemes for setting up of semiconductor and display fabs.

• ISM is serving as the nodal agency for efficient, coherent and smooth implementation of the programme for development of semiconductor and manufacturing ecosystem in India, under Semicon India Programme.

Objectives of ISM:

• Formulate a comprehensive long-term strategy for developing sustainable semiconductors and display manufacturing facilities and semiconductor design ecosystem in the country in consultation with the government ministries/departments/ agencies, industry, and academia.

• Facilitate the adoption of secure microelectronics and developing trusted semiconductor supply chain, including raw materials, specialty chemicals, gases, and manufacturing equipment.

• Enable a multi-fold growth of Indian semiconductor design industry by providing requisite support in the form of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, foundry services and other suitable mechanisms for early-stage startups.

• Promote and facilitate indigenous Intellectual Property (IP) generation.

• Encourage, enable and incentivize Transfer of Technologies (ToT).

• Establish suitable mechanisms to harness economies of scale in Indian semiconductor and display industry.

• Enable cutting-edge research in semiconductors and display industry including evolutionary and revolutionary technologies through grants, global collaborations and other mechanisms in academia / research institutions, industry, and through establishing Centres of Excellence (CoEs).

• Enable collaborations and partnership programs with national and international agencies, industries and institutions for catalysing collaborative research, commercialisation and skill development.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)