Centre for Spatial Computational Learning

深度神经网络作为一种日益普遍的计算范式的兴起，在过去几年中一直是大部分计算的定义特征。与此同时，传统的冯·诺依曼处理器范式正受到硬件空间计算加速器（如FPGA）兴起的挑战，这些加速器面临着严重的可用性和可编程性挑战。深度学习的应用领域非常狭窄，足以让我们以集成和特定领域的方式重新考虑整个空间计算堆栈，从算术电路到基于云的系统。我们在这一领域拥有强大的专业知识。如果成功，我们的联合研究中心有可能将英国的专业知识置于技术的中心，彻底改变高性能和低能耗计算的指定和交付方式，从物联网设备的超低能耗机器学习到高端服务器农场的科学发现。该中心将标志着这一领域国际研究协调的突破。我们将：（a）共同努力制定一项联合研究战略，（B）通过利用该赠款雇用的工作人员以及所有机构的学术人员和博士生，落实联合研究战略的各项内容，（c）通过资助研究人员和访问研究人员的交流/借调费用，促进有管理的研究人员交流计划，以及支持借调到/从行业（d）举行年度展示活动，我们的工作，并（e）提供高质量的研发和STEM宣传推广。到三年期结束时，我们预计将有一个自我维持的国际协调研究的势头，包括最初的调查人员，但扩展到新的团体和在这一领域发展的中小企业网络。

The rise of the Deep Neural Network as an increasingly universal paradigm of computation has been the defining feature across much of computing in the last few years. At the same time, the traditional von Neumann processor paradigm is being challenged by the rise of hardware spatial computational accelerators, such as FPGAs, which face serious usability and programmability challenges. The deep learning application domain is narrow enough to allow us to reconsider the entire stack of spatial compute, from arithmetic circuits to cloud-based systems, in an integrated and domain-specific manner. We have strong expertise across the breadth of this space. If successful, our joint research centre has the potential to put the UK's expertise at the centre of the technology revolutionising the way high performance and low energy computation is specified and delivered, opening opportunities from ultra-low energy machine learning in internet of things devices through to powering scientific discovery in high-end server farms. This centre would mark a break-through in international coordination of research in the field. We will: (a) work together to evolve a joint research strategy, (b) deliver elements of that joint research strategy through the staff employed on this grant as well as through academic staff and PhD students in all institutions, (c) facilitate a managed researcher exchange programme through funding exchange / secondment expenses for investigators and visiting researchers, as well as supporting secondments to/from industry (d) hold annual showcase events of our work, and (e) deliver high-quality R&D and STEM advocacy outreach. By the end of the three-year period, we expect to have a self-sustaining momentum of internationally-coordinated research, incorporating the initial investigators, but extending beyond to new groups and the network of SMEs developing in this area.