Research Focus

Over its long history, CHiPTec has completed many research projects in diverse areas of microelectronics. Accordingly the Centre now has experience and expertise with a broad range of technologies. To take advantage of this capability, efforts within the Centre are focussed on two ambitious research themes: Architectures for Artificial Intelligence and Integrated RF Systems. These themes provide a framework for many different research investigations.

Architectures for Artificial Intelligence

The microprocessor is the workhorse of contemporary digital electronics. Its power, elegance and flexibility are demonstrated by its ubiquity and impact. Microprocessors have found their way into every corner of modern life, from running vacuum cleaners to predicting the weather.

There are a few tasks, however, at which the most powerful microprocessor is still no match for even an insect, let alone a person. Biological processors, brains, are much more efficient at activities such as pattern recognition, language and the synthesis of new ideas. Brains are also very different from microprocessors. They are highly parallel and fault tolerant with distributed memory and processing elements.

The goal of this research theme is to draw inspiration from biological processors and to use this to engineer better solutions to problems in Artificial Intelligence. On one hand this is an exciting new direction for CHiPTec; on the other, it is the logical extension of a long history of research. CHiPTec's expertise in topics such as ultra-low power circuits, parallel and distributed architectures, fault tolerance, insect vision and machine learning put the Centre in an excellent position to advance the technology supporting artificial intelligence.

Projects contributing to this theme include:

Integrated RF Systems

This research theme is concerned with the design of single-chip RF systems. These present an ideal challenge for CHiPTec given the Centre's expertise in RF, analog and mixed signal design as well as its collaborative relationship with the Adelaide Radar Research Centre.

Projects contributing to this theme include: