Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is working to transform petabytes of imaging data from advanced light and neutron scattering user facilities in the U.S. into actionable knowledge, demonstrating AI-accelerated advanced discovery capabilities that can be applied to energy, semiconductors, medicine, and other essential technologies.
The multi-lab effort, called SYNAPS-I (SYnergistic Neutron and Photon Science – Intelligence), is part of the Genesis Mission, a new national initiative led by the Department of Energy to advance AI and accelerate discovery, providing solutions for challenges in science, energy, and national security. A cornerstone of the Genesis Mission is the Transformational AI Models Consortium, which will build and deploy self-improving AI models by harnessing DOE's unique data, facilities, and expertise. SYNAPS-I is one of three AI model teams that Berkeley Lab leads or plays a key role in, building on AI expertise in high-performance computing, managing large datasets, and pioneering AI models in partnership with industry.
"Our national lab facilities are already world leaders in scientific discovery. SYNAPS-I will radically accelerate the path from experiment to insight by embedding AI directly into the analysis workflow," said Alex Hexemer, a senior scientist at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source (ALS) and SYNAPS-I lead point of contact.
The SYNAPS-I platform will integrate large machine learning models as well as foundation models across all participating light and neutron sources, enabling unified analysis of imaging data from cutting-edge X-ray and neutron instruments at seven DOE Basic Energy Sciences user facilities, including the ALS, a synchrotron light source that produces X-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared light. The increased data outputs of recently completed and in-progress facility upgrades, such as Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source Upgrade (ALS-U) project, bring even greater opportunities to accelerate scientific discovery across a wide range of disciplines.
"Our national lab facilities are already world leaders in scientific discovery. SYNAPS-I will radically accelerate the path from experiment to insight by embedding AI directly into the analysis workflow."
