TEMPO reached all its objectives, aiming to broaden the applicability of integrated neuromorphic hardware by improving energy efficiency with emerging memory technologies, architectures and algorithms in novel neuromorphic hardware implementations.
(1) After initially identifying the most promising NVM technology options, important initial steps towards mature NVM technology for neuromorphic AI acceleration were taken and are now being taken up beyond the project. The drawbacks and benefits of each technology and how they relate to the requirements imposed by the different markets and the use cases that were defined in each of them are now more clear.
(2) Smooth exchange of base wafers between commercial foundries and the RTO’s for memory processing has been enabled through establishing acceptance criteria for base wafer delivery from commercial foundries. This needed insight into how the RTO cleanrooms are managed in terms of metallic contamination. An extensive study was performed on general contamination protocols and on Lithium in particular.
(3) TEMPO validated and compared neuromorphic concepts based on KPIs on all levels between technologies and applications. To understand how technology improvements translate into system-level performance and vice-versa, TEMPO combined a bottom-up “technology-to-application” approach with a top-down “application-to-technology” approach. This translated into a more holistic approach/benchmark which supports the European ecosystem in their development and market introduction of neuromorphic technologies.
(4) TEMPO has identified emerging neuromorphic technology and application roadmaps from the cross-section of the bottom-up and top-down perspectives and in alignment with other related initiatives. These roadmaps are paramount for the European Commission and the global ecosystem to support the development of advanced compute technologies in Europe. The project built strategic alliances with other initiatives and co-organized four workshops, each focusing on different audiences. TEMPO published several books and published more than 100 articles, papers, abstracts, press releases, etc. The TEMPO concepts were broadly communicated through direct and broadcasting channels (e.g. social media).
