In April 2025, the White House released its Amended National Strategy on Microelectronics Research, calling for bold action to strengthen America’s microelectronics innovation ecosystem, expand secure domestic production, and deliver next-generation architectures that go beyond conventional silicon. At Parallax Advanced Research and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, we are delivering on that vision now, translating foundational research in neuromorphic and bio-inspired systems into the lab-to-fab pathways and workforce development the national strategy demands.
Caption: Dr. Steven Harbour, director of AI Hardware Research at Parallax Advanced Research and the Ohio Aerospace Institute
“Neuromorphic computing, living microprocessors, and hybrid bio-organic architectures aren’t distant dreams — they’re active research directions right here in Ohio,” says Dr. Steven Harbour, director of AI Hardware Research at Parallax Advanced Research and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. “We’re doing exactly what the national strategy calls for: pioneering the fourth wave of microelectronics that merges organic and inorganic materials for adaptive, secure, and energy-efficient hardware.”
The White House strategy sets four national goals. Parallax/OAI’s research and partnerships align with each in practical, measurable ways.
First, Goal 1 of the national strategy calls for enabling and accelerating research advances for future generations of microelectronics, specifically emphasizing the development of unconventional materials, robust non-von Neumann architectures, and heterogeneous integration. Parallax/OAI’s projects such as NEUROPATH and Minilla deliver on this priority by advancing IGZO-FinFET hybrids, bio-organic computing elements, and event-driven spiking neural networks that push computing beyond the von Neumann bottleneck. Dr. Harbour’s team is developing RF-to-Light-to-Spike pipelines that integrate photonics, sensing, and neuromorphic processing — demonstrating the very interdisciplinary, heterogeneous designs the strategy names as essential to next-generation performance. Their work on hardware co-design for integrity and security also directly reflects the strategy’s call to prioritize security alongside power, performance, and cost.
Second, the strategy’s Goal 2 emphasizes bridging research to manufacturing through stronger infrastructure and a clear lab-to-fab transition.
“Translating neuromorphic concepts into real, manufacturable silicon takes tight coupling of materials science, design, and packaging,” Harbour said. “Our Minilla and Akida testbeds do exactly that — providing a place where unconventional ideas can become manufacturable designs.”
NEUROPATH explores sparse spike architectures that are scalable in CMOS, while Parallax’s partners help expand access for academia and small business innovators to test and prototype their novel systems. This practical testbed access directly supports the federated networks and advanced prototyping capabilities called for in the White House strategy.
Third, the national strategy highlights the urgent need to grow and sustain the U.S. microelectronics workforce, ensuring that future engineers and technologists are prepared for cutting-edge hardware design and manufacturing. Dr. Harbour’s dual role as a professor and mentor ensures that Parallax/OAI is not just building better microarchitectures — but also building the people who will design, test, and secure them in the years ahead.
“We’re growing the next generation of neuromorphic engineers right here in Ohio,” Harbour said. “Our students and early-career researchers work directly with technologies that are five to ten years ahead of the commercial curve. This is what workforce readiness looks like.”
Finally, Goal 4 calls for a vibrant innovation ecosystem that translates research breakthroughs into trusted domestic production and national security capabilities. Parallax/OAI demonstrates this ecosystem mindset in action. Through collaborative ventures with public-private-academic partners, Parallax/OAI shows how regional clusters can act as national force multipliers. These partnerships ensure that breakthrough architectures — like spiking LLMs and living microprocessor concepts — are not only developed but tested, secured, and positioned for commercialization here in the United States.
“The strategy is clear: the future of microelectronics leadership depends on non-traditional architectures and bio-integrated designs that can’t be easily copied or compromised,” Harbour said. “By building this work in Ohio and with our national lab and defense partners, we help keep America’s microelectronics edge secure and resilient.”
As the White House notes, the next five years will be decisive for America’s position in microelectronics. That’s why Parallax/OAI urges policymakers, program managers, and prime contractors — especially those leading defense and dual-use microelectronics programs — to leverage the research assets, testbeds, and talent pipelines already being built in Ohio and across the Midwest. Working together, these partnerships can accelerate non-von Neumann architectures from lab to fab, cultivate a future-ready workforce, and strengthen the secure domestic supply chain that underpins national security and economic prosperity alike.
“Neuromorphic, bio-inspired, and heterogeneous systems are more than buzzwords. They’re exactly what the nation needs to stay ahead,” Harbour said. “Parallax/OAI is ready to make it real.”
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About Parallax Advanced Research & the Ohio Aerospace Institute
Parallax Advanced Research is a private advanced research institute that tackles global challenges through strategic partnerships with government, industry, and academia. It accelerates innovation, addresses critical global issues, and develops groundbreaking ideas with its partners. In 2023, Parallax and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, an aerospace research institute located in Cleveland, OH, formed a collaborative affiliation to drive innovation and technological advancements across Ohio and the nation. The Ohio Aerospace Institute plays a pivotal role in advancing aerospace through collaboration, education, and workforce development. More information can be found at parallaxresearch.org and oai.org.