Cyberagentur awards preliminary study to Berlin
The Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) has awarded a contract for a preliminary study for the research project “Alternative Computer Architecture (ARA)” to Capgemini Deutschland GmbH. The topic of the preliminary study are novel computer models that go beyond today’s binary logic on silicon based semiconductor chips. The preliminary study forms the basis for further research work.
On March 11, 2024, the Cyberagentur commissioned a preliminary study on alternative computer architectures. The French company and its branch in Berlin won the competition, which was announced in November 2023(https://www.cyberagentur.de/computertechnologie-durch-gehirn-inspirierte-hardware/).
The aim of the research contract is to identify new approaches to computer architectures worldwide that are based on models other than traditional binary logic and exceed the performance limits of conventional semiconductor chips.
In such alternative computer architectures (ARA), for example, calculations are performed using light or DNA. The advantages could be more efficient computing and faster learning for AI applications as well as less dependence on strategic raw materials.
The preliminary study will also analyse the security-relevant potential of the identified computer architectures. This involves both the possibilities of security-critical applications such as encryption methods and the risks of newly emerging security vulnerabilities and susceptibility to faults.
The ARA preliminary study is scheduled to run for nine months. At the end of the project, all identified approaches will be summarised and presented interactively in a kind of wiki. All computer architectures are to be evaluated considering the current and future security-relevant requirements of the Bundeswehr and the security authorities.
Based on the findings of the project, a more extensive research competition is planned in order to study the various architectures in detail.
Further information: https://www.cyberagentur.de/ara