The Administration will grant about $285 million in funding from the CHIPS for America Program for R&D of digital twins in the semiconductor industry. Digital twins are virtual models that mimic the structure, context, and behavior of a physical counterpart.
The announcement from the Commerce Department and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is part of the push from the U.S. to boost domestic semiconductor production. In a Notice of Funding Opportunity, the administration seeks proposals from eligible applicants to establish and operate a CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute focused on digital twins for the semiconductor industry.
A digital twin can exist in the cloud and can create opportunities to speed up innovation and reduce costs of research and development. It can also leverage emerging technology, like AI, to accelerate design of chip development, the Administration said.
“This new Manufacturing USA institute will not only help to make America a leader in developing this new technology for the semiconductor industry, it will also help train the next generation of American workers and researchers to use digital twins for future advances in R&D and production of chips,” stated Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
NIST Director Laurie Locascio said digital twin technology will help “transform the semiconductor industry.” He called the institute “a prime example of how CHIPS for America is bringing research institutions and industry partners together in public private partnership to enable rapid adoption of innovations that will enhance domestic competitiveness for decades to come.”
The CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute will join an existing network of 17 Manufacturing USA institutes designed to secure the future of U.S. manufacturing through innovation, education, and collaboration. The CHIPS Manufacturing USA Program will host a one-day hybrid meeting for potential applications for the funding next Thursday. For more information and to register for this event, visit chips.gov.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
Reader Interactions