THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO “Agile-X - Democratization Base of Innovative Semiconductor Technology” Project
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The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has launched the “Initiative to Establish Next-generation Novel Integrated Circuits Centers (X-nics).” It is an initiative to establish core academic centers that pursue R&D and development of professionals by taking advantage of Japan’s strengths, in order to create innovative semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) that serve the critical role of realizing carbon-neutrality by 2050 as well as a digital society, so as to ensure the country’s economic security.
To realize one of such centers, the proposal to establish the Agile-X Center for the Democratization of Innovative Semiconductor Technology (“the Center”), submitted by the Systems Design Lab (d.lab) at the Graduate School of Engineering of the University of Tokyo, has been approved.
The Center aims to realize the democratization of large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs) across the world in approximately 10 years from FY2022 to FY2031.
Its vision is based on the belief that the ability to quickly access semiconductor chips optimized for diverse applications will stimulate innovation, which will in turn lead to the creation of new, promising industries.
To that end, it is necessary to transform semiconductor ICs from being something special to something that anyone can easily realize. That is the meaning of the democratization of semiconductor technology.
The Center strives to develop the core technology (agile technology) needed for such democratization, implement it in a platform, and use it to create ripple effects in the industry and nurture high-caliber professionals.
The ability for many people to develop specialized chips (democratization) will enable the creation of technology that can change the world.
By using its agile development platform to promote the democratization of semiconductors, the Center aims to attract technical talent from around the world and further enhance Japan’s assets of materials and manufacturing equipment technology as well as human resources.
The Center aims to create an agile development platform for chips that shortens the time from idea to prototype and reduces the cost for prototyping both by an order of magnitude. The goal is to mobilize researchers and related corporations from around the world to realize the democratization of LSIs, increasing LSI developers by an order of magnitude.
The Center promotes the R&D of technology for innovative design and efficient development (agile technology), as well as R&D that is needed for the advancement of various technology areas including IoT, AI, and communications through the synergy of innovative technology for these areas and agile technology. To that end, the Center brings together researchers including those from d.lab and takes advantage of its strategic alliance with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, collaboration frameworks such as the Research Association for Advanced Systems (Raas), and the national academic network and collaboration platform for both domestic and foreign corporations created through the operation of VDEC.
In addition, the Center aims to develop professionals capable of creating innovation through the tight integration of hardware and software, as well as professionals capable of comprehensive understanding of the system down to the circuit and device level, in order to strengthen the foundation of Japan’s semiconductor industry. To that end, the Center actively promotes the broadening of its efforts to nurture professionals through collaboration including that with universities in the Kyushu area.
