4,079 research outputs found
Spiking Neural Networks for Inference and Learning: A Memristor-based Design Perspective
On metrics of density and power efficiency, neuromorphic technologies have
the potential to surpass mainstream computing technologies in tasks where
real-time functionality, adaptability, and autonomy are essential. While
algorithmic advances in neuromorphic computing are proceeding successfully, the
potential of memristors to improve neuromorphic computing have not yet born
fruit, primarily because they are often used as a drop-in replacement to
conventional memory. However, interdisciplinary approaches anchored in machine
learning theory suggest that multifactor plasticity rules matching neural and
synaptic dynamics to the device capabilities can take better advantage of
memristor dynamics and its stochasticity. Furthermore, such plasticity rules
generally show much higher performance than that of classical Spike Time
Dependent Plasticity (STDP) rules. This chapter reviews the recent development
in learning with spiking neural network models and their possible
implementation with memristor-based hardware
A scalable multi-core architecture with heterogeneous memory structures for Dynamic Neuromorphic Asynchronous Processors (DYNAPs)
Neuromorphic computing systems comprise networks of neurons that use
asynchronous events for both computation and communication. This type of
representation offers several advantages in terms of bandwidth and power
consumption in neuromorphic electronic systems. However, managing the traffic
of asynchronous events in large scale systems is a daunting task, both in terms
of circuit complexity and memory requirements. Here we present a novel routing
methodology that employs both hierarchical and mesh routing strategies and
combines heterogeneous memory structures for minimizing both memory
requirements and latency, while maximizing programming flexibility to support a
wide range of event-based neural network architectures, through parameter
configuration. We validated the proposed scheme in a prototype multi-core
neuromorphic processor chip that employs hybrid analog/digital circuits for
emulating synapse and neuron dynamics together with asynchronous digital
circuits for managing the address-event traffic. We present a theoretical
analysis of the proposed connectivity scheme, describe the methods and circuits
used to implement such scheme, and characterize the prototype chip. Finally, we
demonstrate the use of the neuromorphic processor with a convolutional neural
network for the real-time classification of visual symbols being flashed to a
dynamic vision sensor (DVS) at high speed.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figure
Homogeneous Spiking Neuromorphic System for Real-World Pattern Recognition
A neuromorphic chip that combines CMOS analog spiking neurons and memristive
synapses offers a promising solution to brain-inspired computing, as it can
provide massive neural network parallelism and density. Previous hybrid analog
CMOS-memristor approaches required extensive CMOS circuitry for training, and
thus eliminated most of the density advantages gained by the adoption of
memristor synapses. Further, they used different waveforms for pre and
post-synaptic spikes that added undesirable circuit overhead. Here we describe
a hardware architecture that can feature a large number of memristor synapses
to learn real-world patterns. We present a versatile CMOS neuron that combines
integrate-and-fire behavior, drives passive memristors and implements
competitive learning in a compact circuit module, and enables in-situ
plasticity in the memristor synapses. We demonstrate handwritten-digits
recognition using the proposed architecture using transistor-level circuit
simulations. As the described neuromorphic architecture is homogeneous, it
realizes a fundamental building block for large-scale energy-efficient
brain-inspired silicon chips that could lead to next-generation cognitive
computing.Comment: This is a preprint of an article accepted for publication in IEEE
Journal on Emerging and Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems, vol 5, no.
2, June 201
Spatio-temporal Learning with Arrays of Analog Nanosynapses
Emerging nanodevices such as resistive memories are being considered for
hardware realizations of a variety of artificial neural networks (ANNs),
including highly promising online variants of the learning approaches known as
reservoir computing (RC) and the extreme learning machine (ELM). We propose an
RC/ELM inspired learning system built with nanosynapses that performs both
on-chip projection and regression operations. To address time-dynamic tasks,
the hidden neurons of our system perform spatio-temporal integration and can be
further enhanced with variable sampling or multiple activation windows. We
detail the system and show its use in conjunction with a highly analog
nanosynapse device on a standard task with intrinsic timing dynamics- the TI-46
battery of spoken digits. The system achieves nearly perfect (99%) accuracy at
sufficient hidden layer size, which compares favorably with software results.
In addition, the model is extended to a larger dataset, the MNIST database of
handwritten digits. By translating the database into the time domain and using
variable integration windows, up to 95% classification accuracy is achieved. In
addition to an intrinsically low-power programming style, the proposed
architecture learns very quickly and can easily be converted into a spiking
system with negligible loss in performance- all features that confer
significant energy efficiency.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Presented at 2017 IEEE/ACM Symposium on Nanoscale
architectures (NANOARCH
Towards Accurate and High-Speed Spiking Neuromorphic Systems with Data Quantization-Aware Deep Networks
Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have gained immense success in cognitive
applications and greatly pushed today's artificial intelligence forward. The
biggest challenge in executing DNNs is their extremely data-extensive
computations. The computing efficiency in speed and energy is constrained when
traditional computing platforms are employed in such computational hungry
executions. Spiking neuromorphic computing (SNC) has been widely investigated
in deep networks implementation own to their high efficiency in computation and
communication. However, weights and signals of DNNs are required to be
quantized when deploying the DNNs on the SNC, which results in unacceptable
accuracy loss. %However, the system accuracy is limited by quantizing data
directly in deep networks deployment. Previous works mainly focus on weights
discretize while inter-layer signals are mainly neglected. In this work, we
propose to represent DNNs with fixed integer inter-layer signals and
fixed-point weights while holding good accuracy. We implement the proposed DNNs
on the memristor-based SNC system as a deployment example. With 4-bit data
representation, our results show that the accuracy loss can be controlled
within 0.02% (2.3%) on MNIST (CIFAR-10). Compared with the 8-bit dynamic
fixed-point DNNs, our system can achieve more than 9.8x speedup, 89.1% energy
saving, and 30% area saving.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
PyCARL: A PyNN Interface for Hardware-Software Co-Simulation of Spiking Neural Network
We present PyCARL, a PyNN-based common Python programming interface for
hardware-software co-simulation of spiking neural network (SNN). Through
PyCARL, we make the following two key contributions. First, we provide an
interface of PyNN to CARLsim, a computationally-efficient, GPU-accelerated and
biophysically-detailed SNN simulator. PyCARL facilitates joint development of
machine learning models and code sharing between CARLsim and PyNN users,
promoting an integrated and larger neuromorphic community. Second, we integrate
cycle-accurate models of state-of-the-art neuromorphic hardware such as
TrueNorth, Loihi, and DynapSE in PyCARL, to accurately model hardware latencies
that delay spikes between communicating neurons and degrade performance. PyCARL
allows users to analyze and optimize the performance difference between
software-only simulation and hardware-software co-simulation of their machine
learning models. We show that system designers can also use PyCARL to perform
design-space exploration early in the product development stage, facilitating
faster time-to-deployment of neuromorphic products. We evaluate the memory
usage and simulation time of PyCARL using functionality tests, synthetic SNNs,
and realistic applications. Our results demonstrate that for large SNNs, PyCARL
does not lead to any significant overhead compared to CARLsim. We also use
PyCARL to analyze these SNNs for a state-of-the-art neuromorphic hardware and
demonstrate a significant performance deviation from software-only simulations.
PyCARL allows to evaluate and minimize such differences early during model
development.Comment: 10 pages, 25 figures. Accepted for publication at International Joint
Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN) 202
Error-triggered Three-Factor Learning Dynamics for Crossbar Arrays
Recent breakthroughs suggest that local, approximate gradient descent
learning is compatible with Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs). Although SNNs can
be scalably implemented using neuromorphic VLSI, an architecture that can learn
in-situ as accurately as conventional processors is still missing. Here, we
propose a subthreshold circuit architecture designed through insights obtained
from machine learning and computational neuroscience that could achieve such
accuracy. Using a surrogate gradient learning framework, we derive local,
error-triggered learning dynamics compatible with crossbar arrays and the
temporal dynamics of SNNs. The derivation reveals that circuits used for
inference and training dynamics can be shared, which simplifies the circuit and
suppresses the effects of fabrication mismatch. We present SPICE simulations on
XFAB 180nm process, as well as large-scale simulations of the spiking neural
networks on event-based benchmarks, including a gesture recognition task. Our
results show that the number of updates can be reduced hundred-fold compared to
the standard rule while achieving performances that are on par with the
state-of-the-art
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