Join the INRC

Owned by Timothy Shea
Last updated: Jun 21, 2023
4 min read

Why join the community?

For a deep dive on the INRC and the research vectors it supports, you can review the most recent INRC Request for Proposals (RFP). Please note that the RFP is closed for funding at this time, but the information on research priorities is still highly relevant for researchers exploring Intel Loihi 2.

If you have questions about any of the steps below or about the INRC, contact the INRC Team.

Steps to join the INRC

1. Choose Member Category

The INRC offers the following types of membership based on your research goals and type of organization.

Research Member - PI:

To apply, you should be a permanent employee of an established research organization, such as a university, corporate or government lab. You must submit a project proposal to use Loihi 2. Approved proposals will receive access to neuromorphic hardware to conduct their project.

To become a Research Member, continue to Step 2 below.

New team member? To add a member to an existing project, the PI should email inrc_interest@intel.com with the full name and email for the new member.

Affiliate Member:

Open to members of the research and technology ecosystem. Affiliates participate in INRC events, learn, and share their expertise. Affiliates do not have access to Intel neuromorphic technology, so this category is most appropriate for theoretical researchers, analysts, and others who wish to participate in the community in a non-technical role.

Become an INRC Affiliate

2. Prepare Project Plan

To join the INRC as a Research Member, Intel requires a sufficiently detailed project proposal to evaluate the impact and likelihood of success. We recommend you use the INRC Proposal Template.

We also encourage research members to fill out the INRC Algorithm Assessment or INRC Application Assessment where appropriate. These brief questionnaires help clarify the impact of neuromorphic research projects.

INRC Affiliates do not need to submit a project plan.

3. Submit Application

 

4. Execute Participation Agreement

When your application is approved, Intel will contact your organization to sign an INRC Participation Agreement. The agreement is a standard legal document that provides you a license to use Intel hardware and software for the proposed research.

To provide INRC members access to pre-production neuromorphic research hardware, Intel requires each organization participating in a proposal to execute a legal agreement covering the technology license, research results, confidentiality, and liability.

Below is a plain-language summary of the intention of this legal document. The agreement:

  1. Is executed between Intel and the research member’s organization, not the individual. It will automatically cover new project members and can be updated to cover new projects. It must be signed by an authorized legal representative. This is generally not the project PI.

  2. Provides a license to use Intel’s pre-production hardware and associated software (“Lava extension for Loihi”) for the proposed research. Note that all general Lava software on GitHub is provided under BSD-3 and LGPL-2.1 licensing, so you are free to use that code without a signed participation agreement.

  3. Provides Intel a license to use your project results. This does not transfer ownership or restrict your ability to use the research, except that you agree to report back to Intel on the research and allow Intel to use those reported results. For example, in the course of your project, you might measure the performance of the Loihi chip while running a model for sorting jelly beans. Intel asks that you report these results, and Intel may use them to promote Loihi or improve future devices.

  4. Provides Intel and the research member a nondisclosure agreement. This allows either party to share confidential information with written notice and ensure the other party won’t share that information further. This helps Intel provide early access to technology roadmaps and benchmarks and helps researchers request feedback on research and ideas and technical support.

  5. Confirms the rights of members and Intel to publish research findings.

  6. Requires researchers to submit potential publications to Intel for confidentiality review prior to submission. Intel will request the removal of any Intel Confidential information. Intel will not use the review to suppress results or reject unfavorable publications.

  7. Establishes terms and conditions for remote access to Intel’s neuromorphic research cloud, such as account security and tech support access.

Intel appreciates the diverse nature of member organizations and has designed the participation agreement to be permissive and consistent with industry standards while still protecting both the member and Intel. Modifications to the agreement are generally not permitted.

View the University and Government Agreement

Contact inrc_interest@intel.com to request a copy of the Corporate Agreement

5. Get involved!

Join us at the next INRC Forum, attend the INRC Workshops, and meet your fellow community members. Depending on your goals, here are a few of the steps you might take: