SBIR Phase I: Hybrid Computing Techniques for Quantum-inspired Ising Machines

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将来自于基于标准半导体技术的高速，低功耗求解器的开发，可以直接解决组合优化问题（COP）问题。COP问题在制造优化、半导体布线、物流规划和执行以及金融投资组合管理中具有广泛的适用性。然而，COP问题是出了名的困难，甚至不可能通过适合商业应用的规模上的经典计算机来解决。目前最先进的COP求解器需要巨大的计算能力，不适合边缘计算，依赖于未开发的技术，或使用与经典计算机类似的算法。该项目的目标是为消费者提供一个更快，更精确，更移动的，更节能的替代COP求解器比最先进的经典计算机和COP求解器。这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一个基于互补金属氧化物半导体（CMOS）的并行组合优化问题（COP）计算集群，可通过云接口访问。该解决方案将直接解决COP问题，与经典计算机或当前基于量子的COP求解器相比，提高了速度，精度和功率效率。此外，该集群使用所有标准的半导体技术，允许短期硬件制造，不像当前的量子计算竞争对手。该器件也可在室温下工作，使其成为直接解决COP问题的唯一合适的边缘器件。结合自定义和经典方法的混合计算算法将在众多自定义芯片上并行求解COP。许多定制芯片将被合并到一个集群中，以最大限度地提高混合算法的速度和效率。一个介绍性的云服务界面将与定制计算机集群结合，以方便外部访问。该项目的最终目标是创建一个最先进的可扩展、可访问和经济的COP求解器，克服量子和经典计算的固有缺点。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will result from the development of a high-speed, low-power solver based on standard semiconductor technologies that can directly solve combinatorial optimization problem (COP) problems. COP problems have broad applicability across manufacturing optimization, semiconductor wire routing, logistics planning and execution, and financial portfolio management. However, COP problems are notoriously difficult or even impossible to solve via classical computers on a scale suitable for commercial application. Current state-of-the-art COP solvers need tremendous computing power, are unsuitable for edge computing, rely on undeveloped technology, or use similar algorithms to classical computers. The goal of this project is to provide consumers with a drop-in replacement COP solver that is faster, more precise, more mobile, and more energy efficient than state-of-the-art classical computers and COP solvers. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) based parallel combinatorial optimization problem (COP) computing cluster accessible through a cloud interface. The proposed solution will directly solve COP problems, increasing the speed, precision, and power efficiency compared to classical computers or current quantum-based COP solvers. Additionally, the cluster uses all standard semiconductor technology allowing for near-term hardware manufacturing, unlike current quantum computing competitors. The device also works at room temperature, making it the only suitable edge device for directly solving COP problems. A hybrid computing algorithm combining the custom and classical methods will parallelize the COP solving across numerous custom chips. Many custom chips will be combined into a single cluster to maximize the speed and efficiency of the hybrid algorithms. An introductory cloud service interface will be incorporated with the custom computer cluster to facilitate outside access. The end goal of this project is to create a state-of-the-art scalable, accessible, and economical COP solver that overcomes the inherent disadvantages of quantum and classical computing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.