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Gothenburg, Sweden (April 2, 2025) – Frontgrade Gaisler, a prominent provider of radiation-hardened microprocessors for space missions, has been awarded a contract by the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA) to bring to market the first neuromorphic System-on-Chip (SoC) device tailored for space applications. The innovative device, currently under development at Frontgrade Gaisler, spearheads the company’s new GRAIN (Gaisler Research Artificial Intelligence NOEL-V) product line, designed to advance artificial intelligence capabilities in space.
Frontgrade Gaisler to Commercialize Neuromorphic SoC for Space
Frontgrade Gaisler will introduce its premier GRAIN device, the Gr801 SoC, integrating Akida™ neuromorphic technology from BrainChip, a leading developer of ultra-low power, event-based, digital neuromorphic AI. The GR801 merges Gaisler’s NOEL-V RISC-V processor with the Akida neuromorphic AI processor into a single integrated circuit. This combination will enable energy-efficient AI applications within the challenging space environment. The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Sweden is collaborating on this project, developing a demonstration application utilizing a neuromorphic sensor directly interfaced with Gaisler’s GR801 device.
GRAIN Product Line for Advanced Space Missions
The entire GRAIN product line from Frontgrade Gaisler is engineered to facilitate more sophisticated and independent space missions. It aims to elevate the space industry’s proficiency in energy-efficient artificial intelligence. The GR801 SoC is designed to support both commercial and institutional space missions, enabling novel functionalities while adhering to stringent power and weight limitations.
Executive Insights on Innovation
“This groundbreaking innovation unlocks new possibilities and enhances our existing portfolio of dependable processing solutions,” stated Sandi Habinc, General Manager at Frontgrade Gaisler. “GRAIN represents an exciting new endeavor for Gaisler, positioning us to enable cutting-edge capabilities for real-time data processing, autonomous navigation, Earth observation, and object recognition and tracking.”
Sean Hehir, CEO of BrainChip, commented, “Our ongoing partnership with Frontgrade Gaisler to incorporate Akida IP into space SoCs underscores the significance of robust, environmentally hardened solutions, proven to operate in extreme conditions. We have diligently worked to ensure our neuromorphic technology meets the low-energy, low-latency, and high-performance demands of GRAIN and other space-based devices, delivering AI at – and beyond – the edge.”
GRAIN Product Line Unveiled at RISC-V in Space Workshop
Frontgrade Gaisler introduced its new GRAIN product line at the second RISC-V in Space Workshop 2025, held in Gothenburg, Sweden. This workshop highlights the utilization of RISC-V technology in space systems, spanning from satellites to deep space exploration. Further details about the GRAIN product line are available at gaisler.com/grain.
About Frontgrade Gaisler
Frontgrade Gaisler, part of Frontgrade, stands as a leading supplier of radiation-hardened microprocessors and IP cores for mission-critical applications, notably within the space sector. The company’s processors are ideally suited for any space mission or high-reliability application due to their dependability, fault tolerance, and resistance to radiation. Frontgrade Gaisler microprocessors are operational across the solar system, from Mercury to Neptune.
About Frontgrade Technologies
Frontgrade Technologies is a premier provider of high-reliability, radiation-assured solutions for defense, intelligence, commercial, and civil sectors. With more than 60 years of spaceflight heritage, Frontgrade delivers a complementary and integrated suite of mission-matched electronics. This includes rad-hard and rad-tolerant components, mission processing subsystems, amplifiers, custom ASICs, motion control systems, waveguides, antennas, and power management solutions.
About Swedish National Space Agency
The Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA) is a governmental agency under the Ministry of Education. It is responsible for state-funded national and international space activities in Sweden, focusing on research and development.
About KTH Royal Institute of Technology
The KTH Neurocomputing Systems team (NCS), led by Professor Jörg Conradt, contributes expertise in neuromorphic sensors and computing algorithms for the demonstrator system’s development. NCS lab’s core neuromorphic computing research explores the theory, models, and practical implementations of distributed neuronal information processing. The aim is to: (a) identify fundamental principles of large neuron network operation and (b) apply these principles in engineered systems to enhance real-world performance.
About BrainChip Holdings Ltd
BrainChip is the global leader in Edge AI on-chip processing and learning. The company’s pioneering, fully digital, event-based AI processor, Akida™, employs neuromorphic principles to emulate the human brain. It analyzes only essential sensor inputs at the point of data capture, achieving unparalleled efficiency, accuracy, and energy economy in data processing. Akida uniquely facilitates on-device learning, independent of cloud connectivity, significantly minimizing latency while bolstering privacy and data protection. Akida Neural processor IP, integrable into SoCs across process technologies, has demonstrated considerable advantages in contemporary workloads and networks. It provides a platform for developers to create, fine-tune, and execute models using standard AI workflows like Tensorflow/Keras. By enabling effective Edge compute for universal deployment across real-world applications such as connected vehicles, consumer electronics, and industrial IoT, BrainChip is validating that on-chip AI, located near the sensor, is the future for both its customers’ products and the planet. BrainChip was established in Australia in 2004 and is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Explore the benefits of neuromorphic computing at www.brainchip.com.