Growth of the country's patent applications for neuromorphic semiconductors from 2003 through last year ranked second globally. (iClickArt) Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution of this image is strictly prohibited under copyright law.

By Kang Gahui

The country ranks second worldwide in growth of patent applications for neuromorphic semiconductors and third in the number of such applications filed.

The Ministry of Intellectual Property on Dec. 7 said that based on its analysis of patent applications for the chips filed with the intellectual property offices of five advanced markets from 2003 to last year, Korea's applications over that period grew 39.1%, second only to China's (39.3%).

Korea also had 702 such applications overall, third behind the U.S. (1,528) and China (839).

Neuromorphic semiconductors mimic the way the human brain processes information, enabling simultaneous computation and storage as well as computing that consumes less power.

Four Korean entities ranked among the top 10 applicants of such patents worldwide. Samsung Electronics was third with 183 applications, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute sixth with 85, SK Hynix seventh with 84 and Seoul National University ninth with 56.

kgh89@korea.kr