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At least 577 records · Page 32

Advancing Additive Manufacturing Through Artificial Intelligence–Powered, High-Throughput, Nondestructive Characterization and Process Optimization

This Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and ZEISS Industrial Metrology has demonstrated the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled x-ray computed tomography (XCT) to accelerate the qualification and certification of additively manufactured (AM) parts. At the core of this effort is Simurgh, an AI-powered XCT reconstruction framework jointly advanced by ORNL and ZEISS that integrates computer-aided design (CAD) models, physics-based simulations, and deep learning to overcome the long-standing challenges of metal artifact correction, long scan durations, and limited flaw detectability in dense and geometrically complex components. Simurgh enables high-throughput, high-quality 3D reconstruction from sparse and fast scans, which reduces XCT acquisition times by more than an order of magnitude and simultaneously improves defect detection limits by up to fourfold compared with industry-standard approaches. This capability reduces scan costs by more than 50%, lowers labor overhead, and makes XCT characterization economically viable for routine industrial use. By enabling reliable flaw detection in minutes rather than hours, Simurgh facilitates real-time feedback loops for process parameter optimization, which was highlighted in a recent npj Computational Materials (a Nature journal) issue. In the published study, more than 100 alloy coupons were characterized within a single day. This work represents a tenfold acceleration in the development of novel AM alloys and processes compared with conventional workflows. The ZEISS collaboration has also demonstrated the scalability of Simurgh to diverse application domains, including aerospace, nuclear, automotive, and biomedical components; in these applications, ensuring structural integrity is paramount. By drastically reducing barriers to XCT adoption, this partnership has laid the foundation for digital twins and data-driven certification pipelines and directly addressed bottlenecks in qualifying new materials and designs. Together, ORNL and ZEISS have shown that Simurgh advances the state of the art in nondestructive evaluation and aligns with the broader mission of enabling Industry 4.0 manufacturing ecosystems, in which intelligent, cost-effective, rapid quality assurance is integral to accelerating innovation and ensuring safety in critical applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Facilitating access to information in large documents with an intelligent hypertext system

Retrieving specific information from large amounts of documentation is not an easy task. It could be facilitated if information relevant in the current problem solving context could be automatically supplied to the user. As a first step towards this goal, we have developed an intelligent hypertext system called CID (Computer Integrated Documentation) and tested it on the Space Station Freedom requirement documents. The CID system enables integration of various technical documents in a hypertext framework and includes an intelligent context-sensitive indexing and retrieval mechanism. This mechanism utilizes on-line user information requirements and relevance feedback either to reinforce current indexing in case of success or to generate new knowledge in case of failure. This allows the CID system to provide helpful responses, based on previous usage of the documentation, and to improve its performance over time.

Mathe, Nathalie↗

Accelerating Computational Materials Discovery with Machine Learning and Cloud High-Performance Computing: from Large-Scale Screening to Experimental Validation

High-throughput computational materials discovery has promised significant acceleration of the design and discovery of new materials for many years. Despite a surge in interest and activity, the constraints imposed by large-scale computational resources present a significant bottleneck. Furthermore, examples of large-scale computational discovery carried through experimental validation remain scarce, especially for materials with product applicability. In this paper, we demonstrate how this vision became reality by first combining state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) models and traditional physics-based models on cloud high performance computing (HPC) resources to quickly navigate through more than 32 million candidates and predict around half a million potentially stable materials. Focusing on solid-state electrolytes for battery applications, our discovery pipeline further identified 18 promising candidates with new compositions and rediscovered a decade’s worth of collective knowledge in the field as a byproduct. By employing around one thousand virtual machines in the cloud, this process took less than 80 hours. We then synthesized and experimentally characterized the structures and conductivities of our top candidates, the Na x Li 3-x YCl 6 (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 2.5) series, demonstrating the potential of these compounds to serve as solid electrolytes. Additional candidate materials are currently under experimental investigation that could offer more examples of the computational discovery of new phases of Li- and Na-conducting solid electrolytes. We believe this unprecedented approach of synergistically integrating AI models and cloud HPC not only accelerates materials discovery but also showcases the potency of AI-guided experimentation in unlocking transformative scientific breakthroughs with real-world applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Machine Learning for Computational Heterogeneous Catalysis

Abstract Big data and artificial intelligence has revolutionized science in almost every field – from economics to physics. In the area of materials science and computational heterogeneous catalysis, this revolution has led to the development of scientific data repositories, as well as data mining and machine learning tools to investigate the vast materials space. The goal of using these tools is to establish a deeper understanding of the relations between materials properties and activity, selectivity and stability – the important figures of merit in catalysis. Based on these insights, catalyst design principles can be established, which hopefully lead us to discover highly efficient catalysts to solve pressing issues for a sustainable future and the synthesis of highly functional materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The inherent complexity of catalytic reactions quests for machine learning methods to efficiently navigate through the high‐dimensional hyper‐surfaces in structure optimization problems to determine relevant chemical structures and transition states. In this review, we show how cutting edge data infrastructures and machine learning methods are being used to address problems in computational heterogeneous catalysis.

Schlexer Lamoureux, Philomena↗

Two-dimensional materials for bio-realistic neuronal computing networks

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials have found broad utility in a diverse range of applications including electronics, optoelectronics, renewable energy, and quantum information technologies. Meanwhile, exponentially growing digital data coupled with the ubiquity of artificial intelligence algorithms have generated significant interest in edge neuromorphic computing as an alternative to centralized cloud computing. The drive to incorporate neuroscience principles into computing hardware is motivated by the low power consumption, parallel processing, and reconfigurability of the human brain. The diverse library of 2D materials with atomic-level thicknesses, exceptional electrostatic tunability, and integration versatility is particularly well-suited for realizing bio-realistic synaptic and neuronal functionality. Here, we summarize past and present work in this field and outline the frontier challenges that have not yet been overcome. Here we also delineate potential solutions and suggest that the neuroscience principles of criticality and synchrony have the potential to inspire breakthrough applications of 2D materials in neuronal computing networks.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Energy-efficient scientific computing using chemical reservoirs

The rapid growth of computing demands driven by scientific computing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) advancements has exposed the limitations of traditional digital processing systems. These systems are nearing physical energy barriers, making significant gains in energy efficiency increasingly unattainable. As we advance toward post-exascale computing, disruptive approaches are critical to overcoming these limitations. Among emerging analog solutions, biochemical computing offers a transformative path for achieving orders-of-magnitude improvements in energy efficiency. By leveraging the natural optimization capabilities of chemical reaction networks (CRNs), biochemical systems have the potential to meet high-performance computing needs through natural scalability. However, numerous challenges remain, including theoretical limitations in mapping computational problems to CRNs and practical barriers in implementing biochemical computing devices. In this paper, we present a framework for chemical computation using biochemical systems and introduce key components of our approach for energy-efficient scientific computing. We showcase the feasibility of this framework by solving a system of ordinary differential equations by emulating a chemical reservoir device, demonstrating its potential for addressing modern computing challenges. This work lays a foundational step toward harnessing the computational power of chemistry to design energy-efficient, scalable, high-performance next-generation computing systems.

Johnson, Connah G. M. [Pacific Northwest National ↗

Artificial intelligence for multi-mission planetary operations

A brief introduction is given to an automated system called the Spacecraft Health Automated Reasoning Prototype (SHARP). SHARP is designed to demonstrate automated health and status analysis for multi-mission spacecraft and ground data systems operations. The SHARP system combines conventional computer science methodologies with artificial intelligence techniques to produce an effective method for detecting and analyzing potential spacecraft and ground systems problems. The system performs real-time analysis of spacecraft and other related telemetry, and is also capable of examining data in historical context. Telecommunications link analysis of the Voyager II spacecraft is the initial focus for evaluation of the prototype in a real-time operations setting during the Voyager spacecraft encounter with Neptune in August, 1989. The preliminary results of the SHARP project and plans for future application of the technology are discussed.

Atkinson, David J.↗

V-Man Generation for 3-D Real Time Animation

The V-Man project has developed an intuitive authoring and intelligent system to create, animate, control and interact in real-time with a new generation of 3D virtual characters: The V-Men. It combines several innovative algorithms coming from Virtual Reality, Physical Simulation, Computer Vision, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Given a high-level task like "walk to that spot" or "get that object", a V-Man generates the complete animation required to accomplish the task. V-Men synthesise motion at runtime according to their environment, their task and their physical parameters, drawing upon its unique set of skills manufactured during the character creation. The key to the system is the automated creation of realistic V-Men, not requiring the expertise of an animator. It is based on real human data captured by 3D static and dynamic body scanners, which is then processed to generate firstly animatable body meshes, secondly 3D garments and finally skinned body meshes.

Nebel, Jean-Christophe↗

Artificial intelligence-driven approaches for materials design and discovery

Materials design is an important component of modern science and technology, yet traditional approaches rely heavily on trial and error and can be inefficient. Computational techniques, enhanced by modern artificial intelligence, have reshaped the landscape of designing new materials. Among these approaches, inverse design has shown great promise in designing materials that meet specific property requirements. Here, in this Review, we present key computational advances in materials design over the past few decades. We follow the evolution of relevant materials design techniques, from high-throughput forward machine learning methods and evolutionary algorithms, to advanced artificial intelligence strategies such as reinforcement learning and deep generative models. We highlight the paradigm shift from conventional screening approaches to inverse generation driven by deep generative models. Finally, we discuss current challenges and future perspectives of materials inverse design. This Review may serve as a brief guide to the approaches, progress and outlook of designing future functional materials with technological relevance.

computational methods↗

Neuromorphic Photonics Based on Phase Change Materials

Neuromorphic photonics devices based on phase change materials (PCMs) and silicon photonics technology have emerged as promising solutions for addressing the limitations of traditional spiking neural networks in terms of scalability, response delay, and energy consumption. In this review, we provide a comprehensive analysis of various PCMs used in neuromorphic devices, comparing their optical properties and discussing their applications. We explore materials such as GST (Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 ), GeTe-Sb 2 Te 3 , GSST (Ge 2 Sb 2 Se 4 Te 1 ), Sb 2 S 3 /Sb 2 Se 3 , Sc 0.2 Sb 2 Te 3 (SST), and In 2 Se 3 , highlighting their advantages and challenges in terms of erasure power consumption, response rate, material lifetime, and on-chip insertion loss. By investigating the integration of different PCMs with silicon-based optoelectronics, this review aims to identify potential breakthroughs in computational performance and scalability of photonic spiking neural networks. Further research and development are essential to optimize these materials and overcome their limitations, paving the way for more efficient and high-performance photonic neuromorphic devices in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Expert and operator perspectives on barriers to energy efficiency in data centers

Abstract It was last estimated in 2016 that data centers (DCs) comprise approximately 2% of total US electricity consumption. However, this estimate is currently being updated to account for the massive increase in computing needs due to streaming, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence (AI). To prevent energy consumption that tracks with increasing computing needs, it is imperative we identify energy efficiency strategies and investments beyond the low-hanging fruit solutions. In a two-phased research approach, we ask: What non-technical barriers still impede energy efficiency (EE) practices and investments in the data center sector, and what can be done to overcome these barriers? In particular, we are focused on social and organizational barriers to EE. In Phase I, we performed a literature review and found that technical solutions are abundant in the literature, but fail to address the top-down cultural shifts that need to take place in order to adapt new energy efficiency strategies. In Phase II, reported here, we interviewed 16 data center operators/experts to ground-truth our literature findings. Our interview protocols focus on three aspects of DC decision-making: procurement practices, metrics and monitoring, and perceived barriers to energy efficiency. We find that vendors are the key drivers of procurement decisions, advanced efficiency metrics are facility-specific, and there is convergence in the design of advanced facilities due to the heat density of parallelized infrastructure. Our ultimate goals for our research are to design DC decarbonization policies that target organizational structure, empower individual staff, and foster a supportive external market.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Automating software design system DESTA

'DESTA' is the acronym for the Dialogue Evolutionary Synthesizer of Turnkey Algorithms by means of a natural language (Russian or English) functional specification of algorithms or software being developed. DESTA represents the computer-aided and/or automatic artificial intelligence 'forgiving' system which provides users with software tools support for algorithm and/or structured program development. The DESTA system is intended to provide support for the higher levels and earlier stages of engineering design of software in contrast to conventional Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems which provide low level tools for use at a stage when the major planning and structuring decisions have already been taken. DESTA is a knowledge-intensive system. The main features of the knowledge are procedures, functions, modules, operating system commands, batch files, their natural language specifications, and their interlinks. The specific domain for the DESTA system is a high level programming language like Turbo Pascal 6.0. The DESTA system is operational and runs on an IBM PC computer.

Lovitsky, Vladimir A.↗

Computational tools and data integration to accelerate vaccine development: challenges, opportunities, and future directions

The development of effective vaccines is crucial for combating current and emerging pathogens. Despite significant advances in the field of vaccine development there remain numerous challenges including the lack of standardized data reporting and curation practices, making it difficult to determine correlates of protection from experimental and clinical studies. Significant gaps in data and knowledge integration can hinder vaccine development which relies on a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between pathogens and the host immune system. In this review, we explore the current landscape of vaccine development, highlighting the computational challenges, limitations, and opportunities associated with integrating diverse data types for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques in vaccine design. We discuss the role of natural language processing, semantic integration, and causal inference in extracting valuable insights from published literature and unstructured data sources, as well as the computational modeling of immune responses. Furthermore, we highlight specific challenges associated with uncertainty quantification in vaccine development and emphasize the importance of establishing standardized data formats and ontologies to facilitate the integration and analysis of heterogeneous data. Through data harmonization and integration, the development of safe and effective vaccines can be accelerated to improve public health outcomes. Looking to the future, we highlight the need for collaborative efforts among researchers, data scientists, and public health experts to realize the full potential of AI-assisted vaccine design and streamline the vaccine development process.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Ontologies for Intelligent Data Science

As anyone even vaguely aware of current technology can tell you, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) have made exceptional breakthroughs in recent years. Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) emerged circa 2022 dominated by Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative tools for images emerged at about the same time.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Intrinsically stretchable neuromorphic devices for on-body processing of health data with artificial intelligence

For leveraging wearable technologies to advance precision medicine, personalized and learning-based analysis of continuously acquired health data is indispensable, for which neuromorphic computing could provide the most efficient implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) data processing. For realizing on-body neuromorphic computing, skin-like stretchability is required, but yet to be combined with the suite of desired neuromorphic metrics, including linear, symmetric weight update, and sufficient state retention, for achieving high computing efficiency. Here, we report an intrinsically stretchable neuromorphic device based on an electrochemical transistor, which provides a large number (>800) of states, linear/symmetric weight update, excellent switching endurance (>100 million), good state retention (>10 4 s), together with high stretchability of 100% strain. Further integration into a prototype array successfully realized the implementation of vector-matrix multiplication even at 100% strain. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of implementing AI-based classification of health signals (as exemplified by electrocardiograms) with a high accuracy that is minimally influenced by the stretched state of the neuromorphic hardware. Finally, this work breaks the ground for combining AI data analysis into skin-like wearable electronics for achieving human-integrated/mimetic intelligent systems.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Operator modeling in commerical aviation: Cognitive models, intelligent displays, and pilot's assistants

One of the goals of the National Aviation Safety/Automation program is to address the issue of human-centered automation in the cockpit. Human-centered automation is automation that, in the cockpit, enhances or assists the crew rather than replacing them. The Georgia Tech research program focused on this general theme, with emphasis on designing a computer-based pilot's assistant, intelligent (i.e, context-sensitive) displays, and an intelligent tutoring system for understanding and operating the autoflight system. In particular, the aids and displays were designed to enhance the crew's situational awareness of the current state of the automated flight systems and to assist the crew's situational awareness of the current state of the automated flight systems and to assist the crew in coordinating the autoflight system resources. The activities of this grant included: (1) an OFMspert to understand pilot navigation activities in a 727 class aircraft; (2) an extension of OFMspert to understand mode control in a glass cockpit, Georgia Tech Crew Activity Tracking System (GT-CATS); (3) the design of a training system to teach pilots about the vertical navigation portion of the flight management system -VNAV Tutor; and (4) a proof-of-concept display, using existing display technology, to facilitate mode awareness, particularly in situations in which controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) is a potential.

Govindaraj, T.↗

Space Communications Artificial Intelligence for Link Evaluation Terminal (SCAILET)

A software application to assis end-users of the Link Evaluation Terminal (LET) for satellite communication is being developed. This software application incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and will be deployed as an interface to LET. The high burst rate (HBR) LET provides 30 GHz transmitting/20 GHz receiving, 220/110 Mbps capability for wideband communications technology experiments with the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). The HBR LET and ACTS are being developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The HBR LET can monitor and evaluate the integrity of the HBR communications uplink and downlink to the ACTS satellite. The uplink HBR transmission is performed by bursting the bit-pattern as a modulated signal to the satellite. By comparing the transmitted bit pattern with the received bit pattern, HBR LET can determine the bit error rate BER) under various atmospheric conditions. An algorithm for power augmentation is applied to enhance the system's BER performance at reduced signal strength caused by adverse conditions. Programming scripts, defined by the design engineer, set up the HBR LET terminal by programming subsystem devices through IEEE488 interfaces. However, the scripts are difficult to use, require a steep learning curve, are cryptic, and are hard to maintain. The combination of the learning curve and the complexities involved with editing the script files may discourage end-users from utilizing the full capabilities of the HBR LET system. An intelligent assistant component of SCAILET that addresses critical end-user needs in the programming of the HBR LET system as anticipated by its developers is described. A close look is taken at the various steps involved in writing ECM software for a C&P, computer and at how the intelligent assistant improves the HBR LET system and enhances the end-user's ability to perform the experiments.

Shahidi, Anoosh↗

Testing autonomous cyber-physical systems using fuzzing features from convolutional neural networks: work-in-progress

Autonomous cyber-physical systems rely on modern machine learning methods such as deep neural networks to control their interactions with the physical world. Testing of such intelligent cyber-physical systems is a challenge due to the huge state space associated with high-resolution visual sensory inputs. We demonstrate how fuzzing the input using patterns obtained from the convolutional filters of an unrelated convolutional neural network can be used to test computer vision algorithms implemented in intelligent cyber-physical systems. Our method discovers interesting counterexamples to a pedestrian detection algorithm implemented in the popular OpenCV library. Our approach also unearths counterexamples to the correct behavior of an autonomous car similar to NVIDIA's end-to-end self-driving deep neural net running on the Udacity open-source simulator.

Raj, Sunny↗