VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University says it is a key partner in a new federally funded institute that’s focused on the use of “digital twins” to improve domestic semiconductor design and manufacturing.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Semiconductor Research Corporation Manufacturing Consortium Corp. (SRC) recently announced that they’re negotiating for the department to provide SRC $285 million to establish and operate a Manufacturing USA Institute.

With combined funding totaling $1 billion, this investment will support the launch of the “first-of-its-kind” CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute, Binghamton University said.

The new institute — known as SMART USA (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA) — seeks to address the challenges facing semiconductor manufacturing by leveraging research, fostering educational initiatives, and promoting industry-academic partnerships.

“We are pleased to be part of a nationwide coalition to advance critical technologies that will make New York and the U.S. a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing,” Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger said in the school’s announcement. “Binghamton looks forward to working with SRC, our SUNY colleagues and private- and public-sector partners to accelerate digital twinning innovations in U.S. chip design and manufacturing. I want to thank [U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles] Schumer for his vision, as the CHIPS and Science Act allowed for the creation of and funding for this latest institute. And his advocacy on our behalf has been instrumental once again on this important win for Binghamton and New York.”

A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system designed to reflect a physical object, as explained in the Binghamton announcement. SMART USA will focus on the development, validation, and application of digital twins to enhance semiconductor manufacturing processes. The institute will reduce time and cost of chips design, improve efficacy of domestic production, and return chips productivity to American soil, the school contends.

Binghamton University plays a key role in SUNY’s contributions to the SMART USA team, and Bahgat Sammakia, the school’s VP for research, attended the Nov. 19 institute announcement at SRC headquarters in North Carolina.

“Binghamton has a long history of partnering with electronics manufacturers to solve their most pressing research and development challenges, and we are eager to advance the use of digital twins to enable this industry’s continued success,” Sammakia said. “In addition to Senator Schumer, I want to thank Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for supporting our coalition’s application.”