High-speed module development of Sioux Technologies
The RADIOBLOCKS project is developing the next generation of technologies for radio astronomy infrastructure. Sioux Technologies is part of the European consortium taking on this challenge, particularly deploying its expertise in developing high-speed modules. This will enable the real-time collection and processing of huge amounts of data. In this way, Sioux is contributing to the next great discoveries in the universe.
A large parabolic radio telescope such as the one standing on the edge of Drenthe Dwingeloosche Heide is in fact technology of the past. Today and the future consist of many individual radio antennas, up to 100,000 and more, placed at a considerable distance from each other over large areas. This allows for a more detailed view further into the future, including by combining the data collected from different locations on Earth.
The RADIOBLOCKS innovation project combines the strengths of scientists from 13 European countries, Japan, South Korea and South Africa, and that of one high-tech company: Sioux Technologies. Among other things, they are working on making radio telescopes faster and more sensitive and optimizing data processing; not with state-of-the art but with groundbreaking technology. This enables astronomers to make higher-resolution images of objects at immense distances, for example of black holes, and to do new science. In short, the goal is to have a better understanding of the universe.
RADIOBLOCKS runs in line with the ambitions of ASTRON, the Dutch institute for radio astronomy. That focuses on managing high-quality radio astronomy facilities and developing innovative technologies. ‘For example, this organization has a lot of in-house knowledge about high-speed processing of data,’ says Bas van der Linden, Business Solution Manager at Sioux. ‘This is where our overlap in expertise lies, and we translate that into high-tech modules for customers. ASTRON asked Sioux, partly because of a previous successful cooperation, to contribute to RADIOBLOCKS. We are happy to do so. After all, this project fits well with our roadmap.’
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is an integrated circuit consisting of programmable logic components. It defines a chip, so to speak, and facilitates data processing at very high speeds with small response times thanks to hardware and the flexibility of software. Sioux is taking the next step by having graphics tasks taken over from an FPGA by a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and without the use of the (slow) Central Processing Unit (CPU). This is new and makes certain calculations a lot more efficient. Moreover, GPUs are a lot more energy efficient, for example in correlation calculations. That is another goal of the RADIOBLOCKS project.
‘In short, this new technology leads to a huge improvement in terms of both speed and carbon footprint,’ says Kees Kooijman, Senior System Architect at Sioux. ‘We leverage FPGAs where they excel, while seamlessly switching to GPUs when they offer better performance. Setting up this data throughput from one unit to another and making it flexible and super-fast is one of the important innovations within RADIOBLOCKS. However, this requires complex steps. For example, programming these devices is a specialty. So is designing the necessary math ware and algorithms. The people with those skills aren't readily available, but we have them in-house.’
Sioux sees high-speed module development as a core competency. Thus, it continuously invests in acquiring new knowledge, improving tools and creating flexible building blocks for digital logic. Sioux Technologies conducts feasibility research, designs, develops, manufactures and delivers, making it a valuable project partner for ASTRON. But what is the added value of participating in RADIOBLOCKS for Sioux? ‘In this innovation project, many competencies in the field of high-speed data processing come together,’ Kooijman emphasizes. ‘So, we learn a lot and that knowledge and experience finds its way into projects for other customers. For example, the amount of data collected and processed in the products of developers and builders of high-tech machines is exploding. Take electron microscopes. Nobel prizes are being won for them and, like radio telescopes, they are undergoing strong development.’
In radio telescopes, very many antennas scan a very small piece of the universe from all sorts of different directions and locations. Not only is a huge amount of data collected, but it must also be corrected for orientation and time differences to generate a high-quality image. An electron microscope is also used to create an image based on gigantic amounts of data, only of the very smallest. The first generations of electron microscopes used one electron beam to scan a sample; now there are many. See there an interface with radio telescopes in technological development.
Ronald Rook, Senior Mathware Engineer at Sioux: ‘With this multi beam technology a lot of data is collected from various sources at the same time, and this must be processed optimally. This is happening faster and more accurately, thanks to better and better high-speed modules. Sioux is helping Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in the development and manufacture of electron microscopes, to make constant progress in this area. Another application we are working on, for example, is the inspection of batteries - crucial technology for our energy transition - where 100 percent of all battery cells are checked for possible defects at lightning speed with an eye to safety and performance.’
Developing advanced data acquisition and signal processing modules is a tall order. It requires far-reaching competencies in electronics, software and mathware. In addition, optimal integration into clients' technology is essential, for example power consumption and heat generation. Cost efficiency is key, as is the future availability of hardware. ‘We bring all these qualities together in our High-Speed Competence team,’ says Van der Linden. ‘This allows Sioux to provide maximum support to clients in creating future-proof technologies that can be used to do fantastic, beautiful things.’
