NWO XS grant for Horatio Cox

Horatio Cox, postdoc in the SSME group of Prof. Beatriz Noheda, has been awarded an NWO (Dutch Research Council) XS grant for his project “The Search for the Synapse of the Future.”

The enormous energy consumption of modern AI systems is largely driven by inefficient computer hardware, where memory and processing are physically separated. Horatio’s project tackles this challenge head-on by developing a new type of electronic component inspired by the human brain.

Current efforts to build artificial “synapses” are often hindered by unreliable connections between materials. This project takes a radical and elegant approach: instead of fighting this problematic interface, it turns the connection point itself into the active device. The goal is to identify a unique material combination in which a smart memory layer can create and erase an ultra-conductive path—paving the way for a new class of ultra-efficient hardware and a more sustainable future for AI.

Congratulations, Horatio! A fantastic achievement.

Link to NWO announcement