Collection Overview
Scientific Reports has launched a Guest-Edited Collection on Hard- and software concepts for unconventional computing applications
Concepts for unconventional computing explore alternatives to traditional architectures, such as neuromorphic, optical, or bio-inspired systems. These approaches aim to harness unique physical properties and novel materials to solve complex problems with greater efficiency, adaptability, or parallelism. The focus is on developing innovative platforms and frameworks that hold promise for applications ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to materials science and beyond.
This will be a Collection of original research papers and will be open for submissions from all authors – on the condition that the manuscripts fall within the scope of the Collection and of Scientific Reports more generally. We are welcoming submissions until 27th March 2026.
Why is this Collection important?
"In the post Dennard scaling era, improving computational performance hinges on fundamental shifts in hardware and software design paradigms. The last couple of decades have borne witness to a substantial number of new principles for computation, often inspired by other fields such as physics, biology, and information theory. These new approaches show tremendous promise for tailoring new computing strategies to challenging problems that we haven't been able to solve with conventional methods. For example, neuromorphic computing has emerged as a hardware/software co-design approach for emulating the building blocks and architectures employed in neurobiology, enabling ultra-efficient and adaptive on-device intelligence. This Collection will serve as a valuable repository and snapshot of the current state of computer hardware/software and will hopefully stimulate new ideas that will define the next generation of computing." - Dr. Cory Merkel
"Unconventional computing bridges novel hardware and software concepts to address challenges beyond the scope of traditional architectures. This topic is highly relevant as emerging paradigms - such as neuromorphic, quantum, and bio-inspired systems - promise breakthroughs in efficiency, adaptability, and problem-solving. I am excited about this Collection as it fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, uniting material science, device physics, and algorithm design. Its impact could redefine computational strategies, enabling transformative applications from AI to sustainable technologies. Researchers should contribute here to showcase cutting-edge innovations, gain visibility in a rapidly evolving domain, and collectively shape the future of computing." - Dr. Bikas C. Das
"This Collection will gather research from across the hardware stack to advance research in this exciting and inherently interdisciplinary field. " - Prof. Joseph Friedman
Why submit to a Collection?
Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by Guest Editors, who are experts in their fields, and In-House Editors and are supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.
Who is involved?
Guest Editors:
- Bikas C. Das: Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, India
- Joseph S. Friedman: The University of Texas at Dallas, USA
- Hong-Sub Lee: Kyung Hee University, South Korea
- Cory Merkel: Rochester Institute of Technology, USA
Internal Team:
- In-House Editor: Dr. Thomas Tischer, Scientific Reports, Germany
- Commissioning Editor: Faija Miah, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK
- Managing Editor: Chantale Davies, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK
How can I submit my paper?
Visit the Collection page to find out more about this Collection and how to submit your article.