POTSDAM, N.Y. — Technology is everywhere, from our smartphones to gaming consoles. But there’s a problem: the chips that power these devices often overheat. When they do, performance drops, energy is wasted, and sometimes, the hardware fails.
To tackle this issue, a team at Clarkson University is hard at work. They’ve created a tool called Thermal Analysis of Semiconductor Chips, or TASChips. This software helps engineers understand where heat builds up inside a chip. By knowing this, they can design faster systems that last longer and use less energy.
TASChips is special. It can simulate even the largest processors used in data centers and advanced AI systems. Best of all, it will be available as open-source software on GitHub. This means anyone—from researchers to students—can use it, thanks to the included documentation and case studies.
The project is led by Associate Professor Yu Liu and Professor Ming-Cheng Cheng from Clarkson’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. It’s backed by a generous $597,316 grant from the National Science Foundation.
What makes this project even more exciting is its educational component. It connects with STEM education programs and encourages undergraduate research. Plus, it collaborates with experts from several universities, including Syracuse, Clemson, and the University of Minnesota Morris, to promote sustainable computing and effective thermal management.
Overheating isn’t just a minor issue. According to a recent report, the global semiconductor industry is expected to grow to $1 trillion by 2030, doubling its size in just seven years. If engineers don’t find effective cooling solutions, the risk of hardware failure will only increase, leading to higher costs and waste.
For those interested in diving deeper, more information about TASChips can be found on the NSF’s award page. This effort promises to not only advance technology but also inspire the next generation of engineers.
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Clarkson University, artificial intelligence, Semiconductor Chips, Thermal Analysis, Clemson University, Syracuse University, research team, PRNewswire
