NWO–JST Project on Cross-Paradigm Computing Awarded
I am happy to share that our NWO–JST project, “Cross-Paradigm Orchestration of Quantum Computers, Neuromorphic Chips, and Conventional Accelerators,” has been awarded funding under the joint NWO–JST call for unconventional information processing technologies.
The project is part of a selective NWO–JST programme, with five projects selected from 18 proposals, and the Dutch side receiving approximately €1.15 million in support from NWO. It is led by Prof. dr. Ana-Lucia Varbanescu from the University of Twente and Dr. Jens Domke from RIKEN. I am grateful to be involved as a co-applicant from the University of Twente, together with Dr. Amir Yousefzadeh, and our partners from the Netherlands and Japan: Dr. Farhad Merchant from the University of Groningen, Dr. Mohammed Wahib from RIKEN, Dr. Guangzhi Tang from Maastricht University, Prof. Michihiro Koibuchi from Keio University, and Prof. Tomoyuki Miyajima from Meiji University.
Modern scientific computing and AI increasingly rely on large-scale computing infrastructure. However, conventional CPU- and GPU-based supercomputers alone cannot fully exploit emerging computing paradigms such as quantum processors and brain-inspired neuromorphic chips. These technologies promise major performance and energy-efficiency benefits, but integrating them into a coherent and programmable computing system remains a major challenge.
In this project, we will investigate a first-generation cross-paradigm supercomputing system that combines quantum computers, neuromorphic chips, CPUs, GPUs, and other accelerators. A central goal is to develop a software stack that can orchestrate large computations across the right mix of hardware resources, enabling scientific simulations and AI workloads to benefit from multiple computing paradigms within one system.
For me, this project is especially exciting because it connects several research directions that I care about: dependable system software, resource-aware computing, heterogeneous acceleration, and the practical integration of emerging computing technologies.
Many thanks to NWO and JST for supporting this collaboration, and congratulations to all partners involved.
More details are available in the official NWO announcement:
https://www.nwo.nl/en/news/five-research-projects-receive-funding-under-the-nwo-jst-call-for-unconventional-information-processing-technologies
