Architecting Physical Intelligence: Cross-Stack Co-Design from Systems to Silicon
11:40 AM to 1:00 PM
CSB 451 CS Auditorium
Zishen Wan, Harvard University
Abstract:
Physical intelligence – where embodied agents perceive, reason, plan, and act in the physical world – is emerging as a new computing frontier spanning robotics, autonomous systems, and spatial AI. However, today’s physical intelligence systems remain constrained by high latency, energy cost, and fragile reliability, due to fundamental mismatch between their compositional nature and existing computing architectures. The core challenge extends beyond algorithms, to how we architect computing systems and silicon that natively support intelligence that reasons and adapts under real-world constraints.
In this talk, I will present a principled cross-stack system-architecture-silicon co-design approach to building the computational foundations for physical intelligence. (1) First, I will introduce CogSys, a flexible hardware architecture for efficient neuro-symbolic cognition. CogSys features unified kernel abstractions and reconfigurable dataflows, delivering notable efficiency improvements across neuro-symbolic models and validated on FPGAs. (2) Next, I will showcase the first programmable SoC tapeout for neuro-symbolic cognition, demonstrating how tightly integrated memory-centric computing, heterogeneous architectures, end-to-end compilation flow, and adaptive power management enable efficient cognition in silicon. (3) Building on this foundation, I will present ReCA, an integrated hardware architecture that bridges high-level cognition and low-level autonomy under stringent power and latency constraints by leveraging spatial-aware runtimes, heterogeneous fabrics, and hybrid memory hierarchies. (4) Finally, I will highlight our agile SoC design flows that translate evolving cognition and autonomy workloads into efficient silicon implementations.
By bridging computer architecture, system software, and silicon validation, my research establishes adaptive, accelerator-rich computing substrates for physical intelligence. This work advances a vision in which AI and hardware are co-designed, co-reason, and co-adapt, architecting future computing systems as active enablers of intelligence in the physical world.
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Blackrock Coffee Chat Session
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Zoom
Join us for an exclusive coffee chat with Shi Tak (Dave) Man, BlackRock senior engineering leader who brings over 17 years of experience delivering large-scale initiatives from concept through launch across global teams. With 14 years of people management experience, they offer extensive expertise in leadership, team development, and project execution. This is an excellent opportunity for students to gain insights into engineering career paths, effective leadership, and leading impactful, cross-functional work.
If you would like to be considered for a small group coffee chat session with Shi Tak (Dave), please complete the Google interest form. The form has been distributed via email and VMock. Deadline to complete the form is Monday, February 23rd at 4 PM ET.
*Event Audience: CS Graduate Students (MS/PhD) & Bridge Students.
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