Grand Challenges in Microelectronic Design
Supported by EPSRC Network Grant EP/D054028/1
Andrew Brown, University of Southampton
Steve Furber, University of Manchester
Roger Woods, Queens University Belfast
The UK microelectronic design research community comprises diverse groups occupying many different positions across a vast spectrum of research interests: projects range from novel biologically-inspired systems through to Systems- and Networks-on-Chip, from high-level behavioural synthesis tools (silicon compilation) to low-level analogue circuit techniques. Strengths in academic research complement strengths in the UK design industry.
Following a series of meetings under the heading of "Developing a Common Vision for UK research in Microelectronic Design", latterly funded by the EPSRC under a Network Grant of the same name, a strong consensus emerged that the subject is centred around a number of core technologies and that these can be focussed coherently under a set of Grand Challenges. An open call for Grand Challenge proposals yielded a set of strawman outlines that were discussed in detail at a 2-day meeting hosted by the University of Loughborough on 28-29 September 2006 and refined into the following four Grand Challenges:
μGC1: Batteries Not Included:
Minimizing the energy demands of electronics
μGC2: Silicon meets Life:
Interfacing electronics to biology
μGC3: Moore for Less:
Performance-driven design for next-generation chip technology
μGC4: Building Brains:
Neurologically-inspired electronic systems
The objective of defining these Grand Challenges is to develop a consensus as to where the major research challenges lie, and thereby to encourage greater coherence, communication and collaboration across the research community. As an emergent property of this enhanced coherence we expect to see an increase in the quantity and quality of microelectronic design research proposals, greater consistency in the peer review process and, as a consequence, increased funding to the area.
The ultimate achievement of any of these Grand Challenges will represent a breakthrough for the research community, UK-based industry and the general public. Coherent movement towards these goals will require sustained world-class research involving international and inter-disciplinary collaboration.
The establishment of these Grand Challenges is an ongoing process and it is expected that the community will wish to revisit these proposals to refine, develop, and redefine their nature and scope on a regular basis.
These Grand Challenges are presented in detail in the full report, (see below), where their objectives, scope, and match to the criteria that characterise a "Grand Challenge" are assessed, along with suggestions for "foothill" projects that represent initial research towards achieving the long-term goals.
Programme of Microelectronics Grand Challenge meetings October 2007
The final series of Grand Challenge meetings supported by the EPSRC Network grant will be held in October 2007. Please come, if you can, to help define the way this programme will be taken forward. Details of the meetings are available here; please contact the named organiser for further details and let them know if you plan to attend.
