A team of Chinese researchers from Tsinghua University has developed a revolutionary optical AI chip capable of analyzing light in real time with unmatched precision. This innovation, named Yuheng (also referred to as Rafael), could transform the way humans explore space and process visual data, from astronomy and robotics to medical imaging and autonomous systems. The scientists plan to test the chip using the Gran Telescopio Canarias in Spain — the largest single-aperture optical telescope in the world.
The Yuheng chip represents a major leap in computational optics, combining the fields of materials science, artificial intelligence, and photonics to overcome a long-standing trade-off between image resolution and light efficiency. Traditional spectroscopic devices split incoming light into separate colors for analysis, but the sharper the split, the more light is lost — a physical limitation that has made such systems large and inefficient.
The new chip eliminates this problem. Instead of dividing light physically, Yuheng captures all light simultaneously and encodes it through a unique internal interference pattern. Using advanced algorithms, it then decodes the signal digitally, reconstructing a full-color spectral image instantly. This approach enables the chip to achieve color resolution finer than 10 nanometers, which is roughly 100 times more precise than conventional snapshot systems.
In practical terms, the Yuheng chip can record the spectral signatures of nearly 10,000 stars per second. This capability could reduce the time required to map the Milky Way from millennia to under a decade, marking a paradigm shift in astrophysical data collection. According to the researchers, the next phase of development involves transitioning from a concept prototype to a full engineering model, which will undergo its first real-world test at the 10.4-meter Gran Telescopio Canarias located in the Canary Islands.
To achieve its record-breaking performance, the Tsinghua team used lithium niobate crystals, which can alter how light refracts when voltage is applied. By integrating this with microscopic, randomized interference patterns, the chip efficiently captures detailed color data without compromising on speed or brightness. Impressively, Yuheng maintains 73% light transmission and operates at 88 frames per second, combining high-speed imaging with ultra-fine spectral precision in a device small enough to fit on a fingertip.
If successful, this innovation could revolutionize a wide range of technologies. From improving the optical “vision” of robots and drones to refining medical diagnostic imaging and space observation systems, Yuheng’s breakthrough in light analysis could redefine how machines perceive the world.
In conclusion, China’s new optical chip marks a critical step toward intelligent photonics—a future where AI, optics, and computing merge seamlessly to accelerate discovery across science, medicine, and space exploration. The upcoming test on the Gran Telescopio Canarias will not only validate its design but may also open a new era in AI-powered optical research.
