# Half-Human–Scale SpiNNaker 2 Machine on Cloud in 2024

- Show: [EE Times Current](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current)
- Published: 2024-05-03
- Length: 43m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024
- Listen: https://podcast.show/aspencore/episode/132457135/

## Summary

Professor Christian Mayr from the Technical University of Dresden discusses the development of the SpiNNaker 2 neuromorphic machine, which aims to simulate human brain-scale complexity with 10^14 synapses. He explains how the system's real-time, low-latency architecture offers advantages over GPUs for specific tasks like drug discovery and smart city optimization, while outlining the roadmap for SpiNNaker 3 and the commercialization efforts via the startup SpiNNcloud. The episode concludes with commentary from Professor Ralph Etienne-Cummings of Johns Hopkins University on the implications of this large-scale cloud-based neuromorphic computing.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024#t=2) Introduction and Christian Mayr's Background
- [4:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024#t=274) SpiNNaker 2 Design Goals and Architecture
- [9:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024#t=586) Applications: Smart Cities, Drug Discovery, and Quantum
- [13:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024#t=828) Analog vs. Digital Design and Supply Chain
- [19:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024#t=1148) Rollout Strategy: SpiNNaker 2, Pro, and SpiNNaker 3
- [28:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024#t=1698) Commentary with Ralph Etienne-Cummings

## Topics

- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- SpiNNaker 2 (product)
- SpiNNaker 3 (product)
- SpiNNcloud (company)
- Steve Furber (other)
- Technical University of Dresden (company)
- Johns Hopkins University (company)
- GlobalFoundries (company)
- Infineon (company)
- TSMC (company)
- ARM (chip)
- GPT-4 (product)
- DARPA (company)
- OpenAI (company)
- Rain Neuromorphics (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Armstrong, Camenzind & Museums - Outstanding Oneirophoros Obituaries](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-08-27-armstrong-camenzind-museums-outstanding-oneirophoros-obituaries) (The Amp Hour)
- [The Evolution of AI in IoT | BrainChip's Nandan Nayampally | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2023-04-13-the-evolution-of-ai-in-iot-brainchips-nandan-nayampally-internet-of-things-podca) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Episode 105: Sanity Check on Custom ASICS?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-02-17-episode-105-sanity-check-on-custom-asics) (The Circuit)
- [110. The Future of Neurology: Neural Interfaces Countering Neural Diseases](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2023-02-21-110-the-future-of-neurology-neural-interfaces-countering-neural-diseases) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [EP 123: Marvell ASIC TAM, ASIC Challenges Remain, More Semi 2.0](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2025-06-23-ep-123-marvell-asic-tam-asic-challenges-remain-more-semi-2-0) (The Circuit)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2024-05-03-half-human-scale-spinnaker-2-machine-on-cloud-in-2024. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to EE Times Current.