Cyberagentur seminar series on alternative computer architectures
The Agentur für Innovation in der Cybersicherheit GmbH (Cyberagentur) is organising a series of seminars on alternative computer architectures. The events, which will take place in Halle (Saale) in July, in Berlin in August and in Bonn in October, will provide an overview of future technologies beyond the binary logic of today’s digital computers. The aim is to promote understanding of these technologies, highlight possible applications and establish strong interaction between the research community and potential users.
As part of the „Alternative Computer Architectures“ (ARA) study, the Cyberagentur has initiated a series of seminars highlighting innovative approaches in computing technology. The first seminars will take place on 2 and 3 July 2024 in Halle (Saale), on 27 and 28 August 2024 in the Berlin area and on 15 and 16 October 2024 in the Bonn area. Interested parties can register for the seminars using the form provided.
The seminar series accompanies the comprehensive preliminary study, which classifies and compares various alternative computer architectures. This preliminary study is intended to show how the different architectures can help to deal with current and future challenges of internal and external security and what effects – positive and negative – they will have on cyber security. The seminars should help to deepen understanding of the potential of alternative computer architectures, identify practical application examples and build an interdisciplinary community between researchers, users and industry.
The seminar program is published on the landing page of the project.
ARA project – two-stage research project
With the increasing importance and spread of computer technology, conventional technologies are facing physical and logical limits. New architectures could solve specific types of problems more efficiently and be more resistant to certain attack vectors. In addition, dependence on strategic raw materials could be reduced and Germany’s strategic independence promoted.
The ARA research project aims to identify alternative computer architectures as future key technological areas and to explore their potential. Alternative computer architectures include approaches that deviate from conventional binary logic and semiconductor electronics. These include logical-mathematical computing models such as analogue, ternary, neuromorphic and associative computing as well as physical implementations from physics (e.g. optical computing), chemistry (e.g. molecular computing) and biology (e.g. slime moulds). Quantum computers are not dealt with in this project as they are analysed separately.
This preliminary study is the first phase of the project and includes the creation of a framework for collecting and comparing the various architectures and comparing them with security-relevant requirements and use cases.
Based on the results of the preliminary study, a research competition is planned in the main phase of the research project in order to intensively analyse individual, particularly relevant or promising architectures.
The Cyberagentur invites all interested parties to participate in the seminars in order to jointly shape the future of computing technology and strengthen Germany’s strategic independence.
Further information on the landing page: https://www.cyberagentur.de/ara-en/