STC "Module" starts to develop systems for medicine based on artificial intelligence in 2020

Russian Scientific and Technical Center (STC) Modul, known as a developer and manufacturer of advanced microelectronics and neuroprocessors, in 2020 became the executor of work to create a domestic neural network software and hardware complex (NPAC), on which information platforms for the design and development of medical artificial intelligence (AI) products can be based. Systems based on neural networks can be used, among other things, for diagnosing and detecting the impact of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

"We have long turned our attention to the medical technology market and view it as a key niche in terms of creating proprietary solutions that meet the needs of the medical community and society at large. Together with our partners, we are developing neural network-based systems for medicine, including diagnosis and detection of the effects of the new infection COVID-19. Coronavirus is a relevant story, but humanity is unfortunately prone to many other diseases, some of which take many more lives than COVID-19. These include cancer, which itself has many forms, and cardiovascular disease, and various lung and respiratory diseases. We started our work in the direction of neural networks for medicine in the field of oncology. It turned out that a number of developments in this area are applicable to COVID-19," said the company.

According to the company, in particular, the developments relate to medical microelectronics as well as hardware and software complexes with artificial intelligence. The developed complex is planned to be implemented on domestic neural network components and devices. It is assumed that NPAC will become the basis of a trusted information infrastructure, providing operation with large medical and biomedical data volumes.

About company

Scientific-Technical Center "Modul" is a company established in 1990. For about 30 years the company has been engaged in development of the advanced microprocessor-based equipment, including for implementation of neurocomputing.

Module STC is the largest Russian design center, its staff is skilled in the newest technologies of design starting from development of NF-blocks and systems-on-chip, including analog and analog-to-digital, to development of embedded computing systems, radio-electronic devices and hardware-software complexes of big data flows processing. Our research and development center manufactures hardware and software solutions in the field of neural networks, including video and image processing, navigation, communication, detection and recognition of objects based on various signals. In addition to that, Modul is engaged in contract research and development activities.

Being experienced in the field of artificial intelligence and having competences in development of solutions from complex functional blocks (FP) and systems-on-chip to hardware-software complexes, the STC "Module" offers the complete platform for the artificial intelligence systems on the domestic component base.

There are over 60 SF-blocks in ready-to-use developments of the STC "Module", many of them appeared during the work on the project for digital TV. Some of the advanced solutions are used from leading IP suppliers, such as ARM, Silicon Image, Aeroflex Gaisler, Takumi, Chips&Media, Aragio, NorthWest Logic, Innosilicon, IBM. Back in the late 1990-s STC "Module" was the first and only enterprise in Russia working with neural networks, both hardware and software.

Hardware and software systems for solving tasks of monitoring and security in "smart city" systems, face recognition, neural network applications for medicine, automotive industry and so on are developed on the basis of microchips of STC "Module".

Since the creation of the first Russian processor for artificial intelligence based on the NeuroMatrix core, STC Module has produced eight generations of processors and four generations of cores for this area. Two fourth-generation cores - 1879VM6Ya and 1879VM8Ya - are the only Russian neuroprocessors that have already found their application in Russia.

Developments of STC "Modul" are in demand on the international industry market. For example, NF units for various purposes are in steady demand among foreign customers from China, Malaysia, South Korea, India and the European Union. Cooperation options in the field of artificial intelligence with foreign partners from such countries as China, India and Malaysia are being actively studied. Europe is also interested in the company's artificial intelligence solutions.

In addition, STC Modul implements its own university program aimed at introducing advanced Russian digital signal processing technologies into the education and training of engineering personnel.