Applied Brain Research

Applied Brain Research Inc is the maker of Nengo, a neuromorphic artificial intelligence interactive development environment for building neural computing applications. Neuromorphic computing is an emerging computing architecture which uses artificial neurons to compute like the brain does, massively parallel and low-power. AI networks built on neuromorphic hardware and software compute with less power and use more continuous states as opposed to discrete weight updates as machine learning algorithms do. The benefit is that applications built this way can use less power, be more responsive and more accurate. The neuromorphic architecture allows real-time integration of multiple AI networks into integrated, large, functional systems. Full-loop AI systems can be built with Nengo such as Spaun, the world's largest functional brain simulation. Spaun is ABR's research platform for full-loop service robotics. ABR is first commercializing Nengo as the compiler and runtime for the new generation of neuromorphic chips such as the Intel Loihi, Spinnaker and BrainDrop, as well as ABR's library of neuromorphic applications for these chips such as Reach for robotic reaching,  Vision, Speech built on ABR's neuromorphic AI algorithms (spiking deep learning, reinforcement learning, adaptive control, ....). ABR's long run goal is to build its neuromorphic platform into a truly functional service robotic operating system, starting with ABR Reach and guided by the learnings from ABR's research into Spaun. ABR was spun out of Dr Chis Eliasmith's lab at the Center for Computation and Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo.

Applied Brain Research (ABR) is a Canadian company specializing in developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology inspired by the human brain's neural networks. ABR's primary focus is on enabling the integration of advanced AI capabilities into edge internet of Things (IoT) devices, enhancing their functionality, responsiveness, and battery life. The company's core technology is the Legendre Memory Unit (LMU), a patented network algorithm optimized for efficient time series processing. ABR is developing a Time Series Processing (TSP) ASIC paired with a software stack for model training, compilation, and deployment, providing a complete solution for customers. This approach allows ABR's technology to achieve functionality that would require significantly more power on competing solutions. The company's solutions are designed for applications in various sectors, including consumer, medical, industrial, and automotive, with a current focus on wearables, biomedical devices, and speech recognition. ABR's technology enables devices to function without constant connection to other devices, reducing latency and allowing more accurate inference from larger data sets while maintaining data privacy. In May 2024, ABR was working on expanding its technology to enable complete dialogue systems built into devices, aiming to revolutionize human-machine interaction.

Member Spotlight: Applied Brain Research Taps into Student Potential

Applied Brain Research brings brain-inspired AI to the edge

Reinventing how computers think based on biological neural networks

Neuromorphic Computing

Applied Brain Research (ABR) is a Canadian company specializing in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology inspired by the human brain's neural networks. ABR's core focus is on enabling the integration of advanced AI capabilities into edge internet of Things (IoT) devices, with the aim of enhancing their functionality, responsiveness, and battery life. The company's primary technology is the Legendre Memory Unit (LMU), a patented network algorithm optimized for efficient time series processing. ABR is developing a Time Series Processing (TSP) ASIC coupled with a software stack for model training, compilation, and deployment, offering a complete solution to customers. This approach allows edge devices to function without constant connection to other devices, reducing latency and enabling more accurate inference from larger data sets while maintaining data privacy. ABR's technology finds applications in various sectors, including consumer electronics, medical devices, industrial applications, and automotive systems, with a current focus on wearables, biomedical devices, and speech recognition applications. The company's solutions are designed to be particularly effective for battery-powered edge AIoT devices, setting ABR apart from competitors who focus on data center applications or cloud-based solutions.

A new generation of building blocks for emerging tech

Next-gen Semiconductors

Semiconductor Industry Veteran Kevin Conley Joins Applied Brain Research as CEO to Drive Next Phase of Innovation

Applied Brain Research (ABR) is a Canadian company specializing in developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology inspired by the human brain's neural networks. ABR's primary focus is on enabling the integration of advanced AI capabilities into edge internet of Things (IoT) devices, enhancing their functionality, responsiveness, and battery life. The company's core technology is the Legendre Memory Unit (LMU), a patented network algorithm optimized for efficient time series processing. ABR is developing a Time Series Processing (TSP) ASIC paired with a software stack for model training, compilation, and deployment, providing a complete solution for customers. This approach allows ABR's technology to achieve functionality that would require significantly more power on competing solutions. The company's solutions are designed for applications in various sectors, including consumer, medical, industrial, and automotive, with a current focus on wearables, biomedical devices, and speech recognition. ABR's technology enables devices to function without constant connection to other devices, reducing latency and allowing more accurate inference from larger data sets while maintaining data privacy. In May 2024, ABR was working on expanding its technology to enable complete dialogue systems built into devices, aiming to revolutionize human-machine interaction.

MemComputing, founded in San Diego, has developed a novel computing technology aimed at solving complex optimization problems across various industries. The company's proprietary MemCPU Platform combines processing and memory to deliver high-performance computing capabilities for applications in optimization, Big Data analytics, and machine learning. MemComputing's approach is based on a physics-inspired computing paradigm that utilizes non-quantum dynamical systems with memory to process information.
The technology behind MemComputing was invented by Fabio Lorenzo Traversa and Massimiliano (Max) Di Ventra, who sought to design a computer from a physics perspective. Their innovation led to the creation of digital memcomputing machines (DMMs), which are designed to solve combinatorial optimization problems efficiently. DMMs can be realized through electrical circuits or simulated on traditional computers.
MemComputing's solutions have demonstrated significant advantages in solving hard problems. For instance, the company reported finding feasible solutions within minutes for a problem from the MIPLIB 2010 library whose feasibility had remained unknown for eight years. In another case, MemComputing's technology solved a problem in 1.5 hours that would have taken the world's fastest supercomputers significantly longer to solve.
The company's first product, the MemCPU Extreme Performance Computing (XPC) SaaS, is being used by companies in the Global 2000 to address large-scale optimization challenges. MemComputing's approach has shown promising results in various applications, including prime factorization, Boolean satisfiability problems, and restricted Boltzmann machine training.

MemComputing

MemryX Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company that specializes in designing edge AI processing solutions. Founded in 2019, the company focuses on accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) processing for edge devices through its proprietary compute-at-memory technology and dataflow architecture. MemryX's flagship product, the MX3 AI Accelerator, is designed to be an efficient and easy-to-use solution for edge AI applications. The MX3 can be integrated into various edge computing systems, offering scalable AI capabilities for industries such as automotive, robotics, IoT, smart vision systems, and edge computing.
The MX3 AI Accelerator features MemryX Compute Engines (MCE) that are tightly coupled with at-memory computing, creating a native dataflow architecture that utilizes up to 70% of the chip with just one click. This design allows developers to compile any trained AI model with a single click, achieving optimized model performance with high utilization (>50%) and full accuracy within minutes. The MX3 supports multiple AI frameworks, including TensorFlow, TensorFlow Lite, ONNX, PyTorch, and Keras, and can run hundreds of unaltered AI models efficiently.
In terms of performance, the MX3 offers more than five TFLOPs of computing power while consuming approximately one watt of power. It supports BFloat16 activations and can handle weights of 4, 8, and 16 bits. The chip can store about 10 million parameters on-die and interfaces with host systems through PCIe Gen 3 I/O and/or USB 2.0/3.x. MemryX offers the MX3 in various form factors, including bare die, single-die package, and modules (mini PCIe or M.2) with one or more MX3 chips.
As of December 2023, MemryX announced the availability of production-level silicon for its MX3 AI Accelerator, with volume production expected to start in 2023. The company has showcased various demonstrations of the MX3's capabilities, including multi-stream AI-enabled video management systems, AI-powered PCs, threat and weapons detection for public spaces, and smart city traffic management solutions.
Key customers and partnerships
MemryX has formed partnerships with several companies to showcase and integrate its AI acceleration technology. In February 2023, MemryX announced a partnership with Edge Impulse, an AI-algorithm software provider, to streamline the development, testing, and deployment of AI models on MemryX's AI accelerator chips. This collaboration aims to simplify the process of creating and implementing AI solutions for edge devices.
The company has also worked with Cachengo to develop an intelligent edge platform for real-time threat detection in public spaces. Additionally, MemryX has partnered with Fracctal to demonstrate smart city traffic management capabilities powered by the MX3 AI Accelerator.

MemryX

Nepes Corporation is a South Korean company specializing in Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) services. The company provides a comprehensive range of semiconductor packaging design and manufacturing services to global electronics industry clients. Nepes offers various packaging solutions, including wafer level packaging, fan-out wafer level packages, and panel level packaging. In 2020, Nepes acquired factory assets from Deca Technologies, establishing itself as a key player in advanced packaging technologies. The company has implemented Deca's M-Series fan-out technology and Adaptive Patterning real-time EDA ecosystem, enabling it to build the industry's first 600mm large panel M-Series factory in South Korea.
Nepes has expanded its IC packaging capabilities to address the challenges of developing advanced 3D IC packages. The company leverages a range of industry-leading solutions from Siemens EDA, including the Calibre nmPlatform tool, HyperLynx software for electrical rule checking, Calibre 3DSTACK software, Xpedition Substrate Integrator software, and Xpedition Package Designer software. These technologies enable Nepes to provide fast and reliable design services, including 2.5D/3D-based chiplet designs for its growing base of global IC customers.
Key customers and partnerships
Nepes has established partnerships with several prominent companies in the semiconductor industry. The company entered into a technology transfer and licensing agreement with Deca Technologies in 2020, enabling it to implement advanced packaging technologies. Nepes also collaborates with SAPEON Korea, providing them with comprehensive semiconductor packaging design and manufacturing services. Additionally, Nepes has extended its relationship with Siemens Digital Industries Software, leveraging their EDA technologies to enhance its packaging design capabilities and serve mutual customers more effectively.

Nepes

Symetrix Corporation specializes in developing technology for the semiconductor industry. The company's innovations find applications across various sectors, including communications, data acquisition, and measurement devices. Symetrix's technology serves as a crucial component in the advancement of semiconductor capabilities, contributing to the evolution of diverse electronic systems. The company's focus on memory technology suggests a significant role in enhancing data storage and processing capabilities within the semiconductor field.

Symetrix

Syntiant is a deep learning chip technology company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Irvine, California. The company specializes in developing ultra-low-power, high-performance deep neural network processors called Neural Decision Processors (NDPs) for edge AI applications. Syntiant's technology combines deep learning with semiconductor design to enable AI functionality in battery-powered devices without relying on cloud connections.
Syntiant's NDPs are designed to execute deep neural networks natively on various topologies, including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), and fully connected networks. The company's chips typically offer 100x efficiency improvement and a 10x increase in throughput compared to traditional low-power microcontroller-based solutions. This allows for larger networks at significantly lower power consumption, extending battery life and reducing infrastructure costs.
The company's product lineup includes the NDP100, NDP101, NDP200, and NDP115 processors. The NDP200, built on the Syntiant Core 2 architecture, provides 25 times the tensor throughput of the Syntiant Core 1 found in the NDP100. The latest NDP115, introduced at CES 2023, is designed for ultra-power and size-constrained applications, capable of running speech inferences at 280 microwatts.
Syntiant has achieved significant milestones in its short history. By January 2021, the company had shipped over 10 million of its NDP100 and NDP101 processors. This number increased to more than 20 million processors shipped by March 2022. As of May 2023, Syntiant has expanded its offerings to include hardware-agnostic deep learning computer vision models that can be deployed on various platforms, including the Renesas RZ/V2L microprocessor.
Key customers and partnerships
Syntiant's technology has found applications across various industries and devices. The company's Neural Decision Processors are being used in earbuds, wearables, smartphones, smart speakers, laptops, vehicles, and other IoT consumer and industrial use cases.
Syntiant has established partnerships with several prominent companies in the tech industry. In July 2021, Syntiant announced a collaboration with Renesas Electronics Corporation for a voice-controlled multimodal solution combining Renesas' RZ/V Series MPUs and Syntiant's NDP120 Neural Decision Processor. This partnership aims to enable low-power contactless operation for image processing in vision AI-based IoT and edge systems.
The company has also worked with Infineon Technologies, signing a smart microphone reference design agreement in 2018. This collaboration aimed to complement Syntiant's NDPs with Infineon's high-performance microphone technology.

Syntiant

Develop neural network hardware, including chipsets and circuits

Software companies that offer tools that can be used to develop neuromorphic AI algorithms and solutions

Develop software solutions to can be used to design neural networking tools, or offer neural networking solutions directly to users

Software companies that apply neuromorphic computing for visual AI tools and applications

Companies that develop and offer solutions that incorporate Neuromorphic-based AI technology

AI/ML enables neuromorphic computing to be applied to artificial neural networks and provide functional outcomes

Applied Brain Research (ABR) is a Canadian company specializing in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology inspired by the human brain's neural networks. ABR's core focus is on enabling the integration of advanced AI capabilities into edge internet of Things (IoT) devices, with the aim of enhancing their functionality, responsiveness, and battery life. The company's primary technology is the Legendre Memory Unit (LMU), a patented network algorithm optimized for efficient time series processing. ABR is developing a Time Series Processing (TSP) ASIC coupled with a software stack for model training, compilation, and deployment, offering a complete solution to customers. This approach allows edge devices to function without constant connection to other devices, reducing latency and enabling more accurate inference from larger data sets while maintaining data privacy. ABR's technology finds applications in various sectors, including consumer electronics, medical devices, industrial applications, and automotive systems, with a current focus on wearables, biomedical devices, and speech recognition applications. The company's solutions are designed to be particularly effective for battery-powered edge AIoT devices, setting ABR apart from competitors who focus on data center applications or cloud-based solutions.

SiFive is a fabless semiconductor company founded in 2015 that specializes in designing processor cores and chips based on the open-source RISC-V instruction set architecture. The company provides commercial RISC-V-based platforms and custom silicon solutions, offering a range of processor core IP, development boards, and SoCs. SiFive's technology enables system designers to quickly and easily build custom chips for various applications including data centers, networking, storage, and edge computing. The company's cores offer 30-40% better power efficiency and a smaller size compared to alternatives, allowing for more cores on a chip. SiFive's online platform simplifies the process of designing and testing chips and core IP, even for those new to silicon development. In September 2020, SiFive appointed Patrick Little as President and CEO to accelerate adoption of its technology for next-generation computing solutions. As of March 2022, SiFive had a post-money valuation between USD 1-10 billion.
Key customers and partnerships
SiFive has collaborated with several high-profile organizations. In 2022, NASA announced that SiFive's RISC-V-compatible CPU cores would power its new High-Performance Spaceflight Computer, expected to deliver a 100-fold improvement in performance over its predecessor. SiFive has also worked with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center to create an open-source API for popular compilers, enabling applications to use the RISC-V Vector Extension for high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and computer vision. The company has partnerships with major technology firms, as evidenced by its involvement in initiatives supporting RISC-V International.

SiFive

Alif Semiconductor is a supplier of 32-bit AI/ML-enabled microcontrollers (MCUs) and fusion processors. Founded in 2019, the company's flagship product line is the Ensemble family, which ranges from single-core microcontrollers to multi-core fusion processors. The Ensemble devices combine Arm Cortex-M55 MCU cores, Cortex-A32 microprocessor cores, and Ethos-U55 microNPUs for AI/ML acceleration. Alif's processors are designed to be energy efficient, utilizing the company's Autonomous Intelligent Power Management (aiPM) technology that powers on only what's needed, when needed. This allows for extended battery life in applications like wearables, security cameras, and IoT devices.
The Ensemble family includes the E1, E3, and E7 series, with the E1C serving as an entry-level option. These processors offer high AI performance combined with ultra-low power consumption. For instance, the Balletto family, announced in April 2024, is claimed to be the world's first Bluetooth Low Energy wireless microcontroller featuring hardware optimization for AI/ML workloads. It can perform up to 46 GOPS (Giga Operations Per Second) and is designed for applications such as true wireless stereo earbuds and lifestyle wristbands.
Alif's processors incorporate advanced security features, including a Secure Enclave with its own resources and a configurable secure firewall structure. The company's security architecture aims to counter and resist malicious attacks in deployed edge products. Alif Semiconductor's products are designed to enable seamless integration of technology for everyday life by focusing on low-power techniques, functional integration, accelerated AI and ML edge processing, high security, wireless connectivity, and operating system diversity.
Key customers and partnerships
Alif Semiconductor has collaborated with several companies in the semiconductor and technology sectors. In November 2022, Alif partnered with onsemi to create a camera reference design for low-power applications using machine vision. This collaboration aimed to address challenges in implementing imaging products with long battery life and localized AI/ML capabilities.
In January 2024, Alif Semiconductor and Telit Cinterion unveiled the Vision AppKit, described as the world's smartest and most efficient connected camera reference design. This kit combines Telit Cinterion's wireless technology with Alif's Ensemble E3 series MCU for on-device AI use cases like face and object detection and image classification.
Alif has also worked with Plumerai, a creator of edge AI solutions, to deploy what they claim is the world's most precise person detection on the Ensemble platform. This collaboration demonstrated the potential for accurate computer vision AI in a small form factor that can run on battery power for extended periods.

Alif Semiconductor

Atmosic Technologies is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in ultra-low-power wireless platforms for the internet of Things (IoT). The company's core focus is on developing energy-efficient solutions that reduce or eliminate battery dependency in connected devices. Atmosic's product portfolio includes system-on-chips (SoCs) based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, enhanced with proprietary features for improved power efficiency and energy harvesting capabilities.
Atmosic's flagship products include the ATM3 and ATM33 series of Bluetooth 5.3 SoCs, which incorporate the company's Lowest Power Radio and On-demand Wake-Up technologies. These innovations enable Atmosic's chips to achieve significantly lower power consumption compared to standard Bluetooth solutions. The company's latest offering, the ATM34/e series announced in January 2024, expands its capabilities to support Matter-over-Thread protocol, providing additional flexibility for smart home applications.
The company's technology has found applications in various IoT devices, including asset trackers, beacons, remote controls, keyboards, mice, and wearables. One notable implementation is in Samsung's Galaxy SmartTag2, which utilizes Atmosic's ATM3325 SoC to achieve a 43% reduction in power consumption compared to its predecessor.
Atmosic's business model revolves around selling its SoCs to device manufacturers and providing development platforms to support integration into various IoT products. The company aims to address the growing demand for sustainable and low-maintenance IoT solutions across multiple sectors, including consumer, enterprise, healthcare, and industrial applications.
Key customers and partnerships
Atmosic has established partnerships with several companies in the IoT ecosystem. Samsung Electronics incorporated Atmosic's ATM3325 SoC into its Galaxy SmartTag2, showcasing the technology's ability to extend battery life in consumer products. In March 2023, Atmosic collaborated with Dracula Technologies to create a battery-free remote control reference design, combining Atmosic's ATM33 SoC with Dracula's organic photovoltaic technology.
The company has also partnered with Exeger, a Swedish manufacturer of solar cell technology, to develop energy harvesting solutions for IoT devices. In July 2024, Atmosic announced a partnership with blukii, a brand of hard&softWERK, to power a new Bluetooth beacon with extended battery life.
Atmosic's customer base has expanded significantly, with the company reporting a 500% increase in its customer base and a tenfold increase in shipments in January 2022. The company has also formed a partnership with Universal Electronics Inc., a global leader in universal control solutions for home entertainment and smart home devices.
In the distribution space, Atmosic partnered with Mouser Electronics in December 2023 to make its products more accessible to IoT developers worldwide. This partnership aims to accelerate the growth of sustainable IoT devices by providing immediate access to Atmosic's low-power wireless portfolio.

Atmosic

TenaFe, Inc. is a solid-state drive (SSD) controller startup that develops innovative storage technologies for data centers, edge computing, and client OEM applications. The company specializes in creating PCIe NVMe SSD controllers with advanced features. TenaFe's product lineup includes PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD controllers designed with DRAMless architecture, such as the TC2200, which achieves transfer rates of 4.8GB/s, and the TC2201, which can reach speeds up to 7.4GB/s. For data center applications, TenaFe offers the TC2310, a PCIe Gen 5 NVMe controller that prioritizes performance, power efficiency, and low latency, with a maximum active power average of less than 20W. This controller is compatible with various form factors including E1.S, E1.L, U.2, and E3.S. TenaFe also produces the TB2200, a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe BGA SSD designed for emerging applications such as autonomous vehicles, AR/VR products, and gaming phones. This small form factor SSD is soldered down to provide vibration resistance and shock-proof capabilities. In addition to hardware, TenaFe has developed TenaFe Insight, an SSD development platform that streamlines the process from architecture design to mass production, allowing for on-site or cloud-based development and collaboration with partners. The company's technology incorporates a patented LDPC engine to improve Quality of Service, leading-edge compression algorithms to enhance endurance and capacity, and designs optimized for minimal power consumption.

TenaFe

Menlo Micro is a company that specializes in developing and manufacturing innovative microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches, known as the Ideal Switch technology. The company's core product offering is a range of high-performance MEMS switches that combine the benefits of mechanical relays and solid-state switches. Menlo Micro's Ideal Switch technology enables switches that are significantly smaller, faster, and more reliable than traditional electromechanical relays while providing lower power consumption and better efficiency than solid-state alternatives.
The company's product portfolio includes various switch configurations such as single-pole/single-throw (SPST), single-pole/four-throw (SP4T), and double-pole/double-throw (DPDT) switches. These switches are designed for applications across multiple industries, including industrial automation, smart building controls, energy management systems, telecommunications, aerospace and defense, medical devices, and consumer electronics.
One of Menlo Micro's flagship products is the MM9200, introduced in December 2022. This device is capable of handling 10A of current in a miniature 5mm x 5mm surface-mount package, with an ultra-low contact resistance of 0.010 ohms. The MM9200 offers fast switching speeds of 10 microseconds, a voltage standoff of ±300V, and a mechanical endurance of over 1 billion switching cycles. In March 2023, the company released the MM1200, a six-channel SPST switch designed for power and signal switching applications in both DC and AC circuits.
To support its Ideal Switch products, Menlo Micro also develops complementary technologies such as the MM101, an 8-channel low-voltage to high-voltage driver with an integrated charge pump, released in January 2023. This driver solution aims to simplify the integration of Menlo Micro's switches into various applications.
In July 2023, Menlo Micro announced plans to establish its first domestic production facility, called the Ideal Fab, in Tompkins County, New York. The company committed to investing USD 50 million in this facility over three years, with the potential for additional investments up to USD 150 million as part of a multi-year growth strategy.

Menlo Micro

Companies that develop low-power, high-performance semiconductors for sensors, wearables, and other connected devices.

Companies that develop semiconductors that can support high-bandwidth and low-latency requirements of 5G networks and other wireless communication technologies.

Companies that develop semiconductors that focus on automotive applications such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving as well as in-car entertainment and communication systems.

Companies that develop semiconductors to improve the performance of data center infrastructure.

Companies developing semiconductors for other emerging tech applications, including quantum and edge computing.

Companies in the IoT applications segment develop semiconductors for sensors, wearables, and other connected devices

Develop semiconductor materials and technologies to advance technologies such as IoT, 5G, and AutoTech

RF applications segment companies develop semiconductors for 5G networks and other wireless communication technologies

Applied Brain Research

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