KENNESAW, Ga. | Sep 10, 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often linked to supercomputers and massive data centers, but 最色导航 researcher Bobin Deng is aiming for something a bit more accessible through a new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.  

An assistant professor in 最色导航 State鈥檚 College of Computing and Software Engineering, Deng said the goal is to move AI beyond the cloud and into the hands of people where it can have the most impact 鈥� their personal devices. The research could allow AI tools to function without an internet connection, something that is uncommon with many current systems. 

鈥淢ost of today鈥檚 AI runs on large, expensive servers,鈥� Deng said. 鈥淏ut many applications don鈥檛 need that level of computing power. 鈥�If we can run AI directly on a mobile phone, a drone, or other smaller systems, then we remove the reliance on costly supercomputers and make AI easier and faster access in more situations.鈥� 

At the heart of his project is a technique that uses activation sparsity, a process where only a portion of neurons in an AI model are active while most remain inactive. Instead of loading all the data into memory, the system accurately predicts in advance which pieces it may need and loads only those, reducing memory usage, speeding up processes, and lowering energy demands. 

鈥淥ther methods shrink models by reducing the precision of data or pruning less important parameters,鈥� Deng said. 鈥淥ur approach is different. We predict which values will be activated. That allows us to combine our method with existing techniques like pruning or quantization to make models even more efficient.鈥� 

The project will test tiny machine- learning models as predictors to support larger systems. This balance makes AI more feasible for devices like smartphones, drones, and industrial sensors. 

The open-source simulator Deng鈥檚 team is building will allow other researchers and students to explore and refine the technology.  

鈥淭his grant supports fundamental research that can benefit students in our new Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence program, as well as industry partners,鈥� he said. 鈥淔rom monitoring factory robots to predicting equipment failures, embedding AI in smaller devices has the potential to transform many industries.鈥� 

Deng conducts his research in the Sustainable Smart System Lab on KSU鈥檚 Marietta Campus. He discussed how the university has played a vital role in supporting his work, from lab space to grant administration.  

鈥淭he leadership here has been very supportive,鈥� he said. 鈥淲henever I have needed resources or assistance, from graduate assistants to proposal submissions, the university has been there to help.鈥� 

CCSE Interim Dean Yiming Ji commended Deng鈥檚 efforts as a reflection of the college鈥檚 mission to advance innovation and prepare students for the future of technology.  

鈥淒r. Deng鈥檚 research represents the kind of forward-looking work that positions KSU as a leader in AI,鈥� Ji said. 鈥淗is approach not only addresses technical challenges but also creates real-world opportunities for students, industry partners, and the community.鈥� 

鈥� Story by Raynard Churchwell

Photos by Darnell Wilburn

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 最色导航 offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. 最色导航 State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. 最色导航 State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.