# Can Neuromorphic Be Low-Power, Reconfigurable, and Scalable?

- Show: [EE Times Current](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current)
- Published: 2025-07-14
- Length: 50m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable
- Listen: https://podcast.show/aspencore/episode/147034025/

## Summary

Professor Gert Cauwenberghs of the University of California San Diego, leading the Neuromorphic Commons (Thor) hub, explains his approach to building brain-scale neuromorphic systems that are low-power, reconfigurable, and scalable. He details the design of the integrate-and-fire transceiver array (IFAT) and the Neuram chip, which uses resistive random access memory (RRAM) crossbars to achieve femtojoule-per-synapse efficiency, and the Hierarchical Address Event Representation (HiAER) system, which scales to 160 million neurons on FPGA infrastructure. The discussion also covers his work on 'irritables'—wearable ear devices for non-invasive brain monitoring and neurofeedback—and a debate with Professor Ralph Etienne-Cummings on whether neuromorphic neurons should be analog or digital.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=3) Introduction: Gert Cauwenberghs and the Neuromorphic Commons
- [2:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=129) Cauwenberghs' Background: From Caltech to Johns Hopkins
- [4:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=248) The IFAT Chip: Solving Frozen Topology with Virtual Connectivity
- [10:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=610) Neuram: RRAM Crossbars and Femtojoule Efficiency
- [15:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=909) Memcapacitors and Adiabatic Energy Recovery
- [20:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=1200) HiAER: Scaling to 160 Million Neurons on FPGA
- [28:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=1730) Thor: The Neuromorphic Commons Hub and Community Access
- [32:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=1972) Irritables: Wearable Ear Devices for Neurofeedback
- [37:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2025-07-14-can-neuromorphic-be-low-power-reconfigurable-and-scalable#t=2260) Debate: Analog vs. Digital Neurons with Ralph Etienne-Cummings

## Topics

- [Analog & power electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/analog-and-power-electronics)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Neuromorphic Commons (other)
- Thor (other)
- IFAT (product)
- Neuram (product)
- HiAER (product)
- Spinnaker 2 (product)
- LuLu (product)
- Cogionic Systems (company)
- CGX (product)
- FPGA (chip)
- HBM (chip)
- RRAM (chip)

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- [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)
- [An Interview with Zach Fredin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-01-06-an-interview-with-zach-fredin) (The Amp Hour)
- [The Custom Power Chip You Configure Yourself: Power GreenPAK](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2026-09-02-the-custom-power-chip-you-configure-yourself-power-greenpak) (OnTrack)
- [Episode 70!!! NPUs!!!!!!!!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-06-02-episode-70-npus) (The Circuit)
- [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)

## Citing this page

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