Objective
It is known that even a simple organism like the Jellyfish, with only a thousand spiking neurons, can learn and adapt to unpredictable environments. Despite attempts in electronics, photonics, 2D materials and other approaches to emulate spiking neurons, a single biological neuron is a thousand times more complex than any artificial neuron. Thus, increasing the complexity of a single neuron leads to a substantial increase in both the size and energy cost of the neuron chip. This raises a fundamental question: can nanoscale physical systems embody the diversity and efficiency of biological nonlinear spiking?
In LightSensorAI, I will push the frontiers of brain-inspired science and will address this challenge by exploring a new paradigm of III-V semiconductor nanophotonic neurons down to 100 nanometer in size, while retaining their advanced nonlinear spiking properties with ultralow energy expenditure. First, I will create light-emitting and detecting nanopillar neurons, featuring i) quantum resonant tunneling to enable negative differential resistance for neuron functions, and ii) charge storage effect for memory–central to provide both programmable spiking and synaptic heterogeneous dynamic functions within a single element. Then, I will scale nanopillar neurons to form compact 2D pixel nanoarrays and connect in 3D these arrays with a light field enabled by on-chip integrated meta-optics, essential to emulate sensing and spike computing in networks. I will validate the 3D neural nanosystem for spatio-temporal spike-based learning of dynamic complex visual scenes (videos). This platform is uniquely suited for power-efficient nanosensors and brain-like processors to enable in-sensor edge computation in unpredictable environments, just as biological systems already do. It will revolutionize nanoscale hardware using energy-efficient and programmable dynamical sensory spiking neurons and will contribute to our understanding of visual sensory and spiking neural activity.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials two-dimensional nanostructures
- natural sciences physical sciences electromagnetism and electronics semiconductivity
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-ADG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
4715-330 Braga
Portugal
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.