Under the Hood: Supercomputing, Neuromorphic AI and Quantum Explained

# Under the Hood: Making Deep Tech Understandable for the Rest of Us

Deep tech is brilliant… until it’s explained like a secret handshake. 😅

This Brighton AI meetup is for anyone who wants to understand what’s actually going on "under the hood" of the next wave of AI and hardware, without needing a PhD (or pretending you’ve already got one).

We’ve brought together three experts for fast-paced, 15-minute briefings on the tech that’s moving from the lab to the real world. No jargon, just the essentials on how it works and why it matters.

### What we’ll cover:

• Supercomputing for AI: What it actually is, why it's the engine of the current AI boom, and when a business actually needs it.
• Neuromorphic AI: How "brain-inspired" hardware can slash the massive energy bills of modern AI.
• Quantum Sensing: Moving past the hype to see how quantum tech is already being trialled in rail, defence, and energy.

### 📍 When and where

• Date: Wednesday 11 March
• Time: 18:00 – 20:00
• Venue: Sussex Innovation Centre, Falmer (University of Sussex campus)

Who should attend: Founders, builders, students, researchers, product people, and the simply curious. Whether you’re deep in the code or just want to know what the headlines actually mean, you’ll be very welcome.

### Our speakers

Andy Forrester (HypeAccelerator Solutions Limited) Talk: Supercomputing for AI Andy is an innovation and data science transformation specialist. He supports large, complex organisations—across government, aerospace, and healthcare - to turn emerging tech into real-world delivery. He’ll explain the "heavy lifting" hardware that makes modern AI possible.

Professor Thomas Nowotny (University of Sussex / Sussex AI) Talk: Reducing AI energy consumption with neuromorphic hardware Thomas is a Professor of Informatics and co-director of the “Sussex AI” Centre of Excellence. He works in Computational Neuroscience and Biomimetic AI. He’ll show us how moving to "event-based" machine learning can help stop AI from consuming quite so much electricity.

Fedja Orucevic & Thomas Coussens (Spectomiq) Talk: Quantum — What is it and what are the commercial applications? A University of Sussex spin-out, Spectomiq is moving quantum tech from the lab to the ground. They’ll explain how their patented sensing arrays pick out signals from "noisy" environments in real-time. We'll look at three big use cases:

• Rail: Pinpointing train locations without visual confirmation.
• Defence: Navigating in "GPS-denied" environments.
• Energy: Detecting defects in EV batteries without invasive testing.

### Format

• 18:00: Arrivals + drinks
• 18:15: Welcome (Brighton AI)
• 18:20: Three 15-minute lightning talks
• 19:15: Combined Audience Q&A
• 19:40: Informal chats + networking
• 20:00: Close

Who should attend: Founders, builders, students, researchers, product people, and the simply curious. Whether you’re deep in the code or just want to know what the headlines actually mean, you’ll be very welcome.

### 📍 How to find us

Venue: Sussex Innovation Centre, Science Park Square, Falmer, BN1 9SB. View on Google Maps

🚗 By Car & Parking

• Free On-site Parking: Use Car Park 2 (P2), located at the rear of the Sussex Innovation Centre building off Southern Ring Road.
• Arrival: When you reach the barrier, please buzz Reception and let them know you are here for the Brighton AI event.
• Sat Nav: Use postcode BN1 9SB. The car park is accessed via Knight’s Gate Road and Southern Ring Road.

🚌 By Bus

• Direct to Campus: Routes 23, 25, 25X, and 5B run frequently from central Brighton and stop directly on campus.
• Nearest Stop: Alight at Science Park Road or Sussex House—it’s just a 2-minute walk to the centre from there.
• From Lewes/Tunbridge Wells: Routes 28 and 29 stop at the Falmer Station bus stop (a 10-minute walk through the campus).

🚆 By Train

• Falmer Station is the closest stop (on the Brighton-Lewes-Eastbourne line).
• From the station, follow the signs for the University of Sussex and walk through the campus underpass. The Sussex Innovation Centre is about a 10-minute walk from the platform.