NIT Raipur Plans Advanced Semiconductor Chip Research Centre on Campus

The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur has entered into a memorandum of understanding with a Bengaluru-based firm to establish an advanced chip research and development center on its campus in the capital city of Chhattisgarh, as confirmed by an institute official on Sunday.

Named the ViBram Silicon Hub, the center will focus on research and development related to POSIT system-based general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU) advanced chips. Dr. Sonal Yadav, an assistant professor at NIT Raipur, will lead the center, according to a public relations officer of the institute.

The POSIT number system, an alternative to the Floating Point number system, is renowned for its superior performance and accuracy, especially in high-performance applications involving complex mathematical computations, the official explained.

GPGPU advanced chips find applications in various digital devices, including smartphones, laptops, desktops, servers, and specialized systems such as tsunami detection and satellite launches, the official added.

The agreement to establish the center was formalized through a signing ceremony held on March 20 between Dr. N V Ramana Rao, Director of NIT Raipur, and Dr. Vijay Holimath, CEO of VividSparks from Bengaluru.

GPGPUs are crucial for processing intensive mathematical operations in areas such as gaming, video processing, artificial intelligence/machine learning, and high-performance computing.

Dr. Yadav and Dr. Holimath expressed confidence that the initiative would not only cater to India's computational requirements but also enable the center to export its research findings and products to other countries, thereby creating job opportunities in the process.

BS