12,452 research outputs found
Throughput Scaling Of Convolution For Error-Tolerant Multimedia Applications
Convolution and cross-correlation are the basis of filtering and pattern or
template matching in multimedia signal processing. We propose two throughput
scaling options for any one-dimensional convolution kernel in programmable
processors by adjusting the imprecision (distortion) of computation. Our
approach is based on scalar quantization, followed by two forms of tight
packing in floating-point (one of which is proposed in this paper) that allow
for concurrent calculation of multiple results. We illustrate how our approach
can operate as an optional pre- and post-processing layer for off-the-shelf
optimized convolution routines. This is useful for multimedia applications that
are tolerant to processing imprecision and for cases where the input signals
are inherently noisy (error tolerant multimedia applications). Indicative
experimental results with a digital music matching system and an MPEG-7 audio
descriptor system demonstrate that the proposed approach offers up to 175%
increase in processing throughput against optimized (full-precision)
convolution with virtually no effect in the accuracy of the results. Based on
marginal statistics of the input data, it is also shown how the throughput and
distortion can be adjusted per input block of samples under constraints on the
signal-to-noise ratio against the full-precision convolution.Comment: IEEE Trans. on Multimedia, 201
Optimized Compilation of Aggregated Instructions for Realistic Quantum Computers
Recent developments in engineering and algorithms have made real-world
applications in quantum computing possible in the near future. Existing quantum
programming languages and compilers use a quantum assembly language composed of
1- and 2-qubit (quantum bit) gates. Quantum compiler frameworks translate this
quantum assembly to electric signals (called control pulses) that implement the
specified computation on specific physical devices. However, there is a
mismatch between the operations defined by the 1- and 2-qubit logical ISA and
their underlying physical implementation, so the current practice of directly
translating logical instructions into control pulses results in inefficient,
high-latency programs. To address this inefficiency, we propose a universal
quantum compilation methodology that aggregates multiple logical operations
into larger units that manipulate up to 10 qubits at a time. Our methodology
then optimizes these aggregates by (1) finding commutative intermediate
operations that result in more efficient schedules and (2) creating custom
control pulses optimized for the aggregate (instead of individual 1- and
2-qubit operations). Compared to the standard gate-based compilation, the
proposed approach realizes a deeper vertical integration of high-level quantum
software and low-level, physical quantum hardware. We evaluate our approach on
important near-term quantum applications on simulations of superconducting
quantum architectures. Our proposed approach provides a mean speedup of
, with a maximum of . Because latency directly affects the
feasibility of quantum computation, our results not only improve performance
but also have the potential to enable quantum computation sooner than otherwise
possible.Comment: 13 pages, to apper in ASPLO
Multidimensional Range Queries on Modern Hardware
Range queries over multidimensional data are an important part of database
workloads in many applications. Their execution may be accelerated by using
multidimensional index structures (MDIS), such as kd-trees or R-trees. As for
most index structures, the usefulness of this approach depends on the
selectivity of the queries, and common wisdom told that a simple scan beats
MDIS for queries accessing more than 15%-20% of a dataset. However, this wisdom
is largely based on evaluations that are almost two decades old, performed on
data being held on disks, applying IO-optimized data structures, and using
single-core systems. The question is whether this rule of thumb still holds
when multidimensional range queries (MDRQ) are performed on modern
architectures with large main memories holding all data, multi-core CPUs and
data-parallel instruction sets. In this paper, we study the question whether
and how much modern hardware influences the performance ratio between index
structures and scans for MDRQ. To this end, we conservatively adapted three
popular MDIS, namely the R*-tree, the kd-tree, and the VA-file, to exploit
features of modern servers and compared their performance to different flavors
of parallel scans using multiple (synthetic and real-world) analytical
workloads over multiple (synthetic and real-world) datasets of varying size,
dimensionality, and skew. We find that all approaches benefit considerably from
using main memory and parallelization, yet to varying degrees. Our evaluation
indicates that, on current machines, scanning should be favored over parallel
versions of classical MDIS even for very selective queries
FPGA ACCELERATION OF A CORTICAL AND A MATCHED FILTER-BASED ALGORITHM
Digital image processing is a widely used and diverse field. It is used in a broad array of areas such as tracking and detection, object avoidance, computer vision, and numerous other applications. For many image processing tasks, the computations can become time consuming. Therefore, a means for accelerating the computations would be beneficial. Using that as motivation, this thesis examines the acceleration of two distinctly different image processing applications. The first image processing application examined is a recent neocortex inspired cognitive model geared towards pattern recognition as seen in the visual cortex. For this model, both software and reconfigurable logic based FPGA implementations of the model are examined on a Cray XD1. Results indicate that hardware-acceleration can provide average throughput gains of 75 times over software-only implementations of the networks examined when utilizing the full resources of the Cray XD1. The second image processing application examined is matched filter-based position detection. This approach is at the heart of the automatic alignment algorithm currently being tested in the National Ignition Faculty presently under construction at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. To reduce the processing time of the match filtering, a reconfigurable logic architecture was developed. Results show that the reconfigurable logic architecture provides a speedup of approximately 253 times over an optimized software implementation
3LP: a linear 3D-walking model including torso and swing dynamics
In this paper, we present a new model of biped locomotion which is composed
of three linear pendulums (one per leg and one for the whole upper body) to
describe stance, swing and torso dynamics. In addition to double support, this
model has different actuation possibilities in the swing hip and stance ankle
which could be widely used to produce different walking gaits. Without the need
for numerical time-integration, closed-form solutions help finding periodic
gaits which could be simply scaled in certain dimensions to modulate the motion
online. Thanks to linearity properties, the proposed model can provide a
computationally fast platform for model predictive controllers to predict the
future and consider meaningful inequality constraints to ensure feasibility of
the motion. Such property is coming from describing dynamics with joint torques
directly and therefore, reflecting hardware limitations more precisely, even in
the very abstract high level template space. The proposed model produces
human-like torque and ground reaction force profiles and thus, compared to
point-mass models, it is more promising for precise control of humanoid robots.
Despite being linear and lacking many other features of human walking like CoM
excursion, knee flexion and ground clearance, we show that the proposed model
can predict one of the main optimality trends in human walking, i.e. nonlinear
speed-frequency relationship. In this paper, we mainly focus on describing the
model and its capabilities, comparing it with human data and calculating
optimal human gait variables. Setting up control problems and advanced
biomechanical analysis still remain for future works.Comment: Journal paper under revie
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