National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a Bengaluru-based firm VividSparks to set up an advanced chip research and development centre on its campus in Chhattisgarh's capital, an institute official said on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

The MoU was signed between NIT Raipur Director Dr NV Ramana Rao and Dr Vijay Holimath, chief executive officer of VividSparks from Bengaluru, on March 20, the official said.

In a statement issued by an official of the institute, it said that the POSIT system-based general purpose-graphics processing unit (GPGPU) advanced chip research and development centre would be named ViBram Silicon Hub and Assistant Professor of NIT Raipur Dr Sonal Yadav will head it, PTI reported.

The POSIT number system is an alternative to the Floating Point number system and claims to deliver better performance and accuracy for high-performance applications, specifically those that involve significant mathematical computations, the official said. GPGPU advanced chips are used in smartphones, laptops, desktops, servers, and other digital devices. Also, these chips are used in tsunami detection and satellite launch applications, the official said.

According to Dr Yadav and Dr Holimath, the initiative will not only address India's computational needs but also allow the centre to export its research works and products to other countries, besides creating job opportunities, PTI reported.