437 research outputs found
Programmable 2D image filter for AER vision processing
A VLSI architecture is proposed for the realization of real-time 2D image filtering in an address-event-representation (AER) vision system, The architecture is capable of implementing any convolutional kernel F(x, y) as long as it is decomposable into x-axis and y-axis components, i.e, F(x, y)=H(x)V(y), for some rotated coordinate system {x, y}, and if this product can be approximated safely by a signed minimum operation. The proposed architecture is intended to be used in a complete vision system, known as the boundary-contour-system and feature-contour-system (BCS-FCS) vision model
An AER Spike-Processing Filter Simulator and Automatic VHDL Generator Based on Cellular Automata
Spike-based systems are neuro-inspired circuits implementations
traditionally used for sensory systems or sensor signal processing. Address-Event-
Representation (AER) is a neuromorphic communication protocol for transferring
asynchronous events between VLSI spike-based chips. These neuro-inspired
implementations allow developing complex, multilayer, multichip neuromorphic
systems and have been used to design sensor chips, such as retinas and cochlea,
processing chips, e.g. filters, and learning chips. Furthermore, Cellular Automata
(CA) is a bio-inspired processing model for problem solving. This approach
divides the processing synchronous cells which change their states at the same time
in order to get the solution. This paper presents a software simulator able to gather
several spike-based elements into the same workspace in order to test a CA
architecture based on AER before a hardware implementation. Furthermore this
simulator produces VHDL for testing the AER-CA into the FPGA of the USBAER
AER-tool.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-0
On the AER Stereo-Vision Processing: A Spike Approach to Epipolar Matching
Image processing in digital computer systems usually considers
visual information as a sequence of frames. These frames are from cameras that
capture reality for a short period of time. They are renewed and transmitted at a
rate of 25-30 fps (typical real-time scenario). Digital video processing has to
process each frame in order to detect a feature on the input. In stereo vision,
existing algorithms use frames from two digital cameras and process them pixel
by pixel until it finds a pattern match in a section of both stereo frames. To
process stereo vision information, an image matching process is essential, but it
needs very high computational cost. Moreover, as more information is
processed, the more time spent by the matching algorithm, the more inefficient
it is. Spike-based processing is a relatively new approach that implements
processing by manipulating spikes one by one at the time they are transmitted,
like a human brain. The mammal nervous system is able to solve much more
complex problems, such as visual recognition by manipulating neuron’s spikes.
The spike-based philosophy for visual information processing based on the
neuro-inspired Address-Event- Representation (AER) is achieving nowadays
very high performances. The aim of this work is to study the viability of a
matching mechanism in a stereo-vision system, using AER codification. This
kind of mechanism has not been done before to an AER system. To do that,
epipolar geometry basis applied to AER system are studied, and several tests
are run, using recorded data and a computer. The results and an average error
are shown (error less than 2 pixels per point); and the viability is proved
A programmable VLSI filter architecture for application in real-time vision processing systems
An architecture is proposed for the realization of real-time edge-extraction filtering operation in an Address-Event-Representation (AER) vision system. Furthermore, the approach is valid for any 2D filtering operation as long as the convolutional kernel F(p,q) is decomposable into an x-axis and a y-axis component, i.e. F(p,q)=H(p)V(q), for some rotated coordinate system [p,q]. If it is possible to find a coordinate system [p,q], rotated with respect to the absolute coordinate system a certain angle, for which the above decomposition is possible, then the proposed architecture is able to perform the filtering operation for any angle we would like the kernel to be rotated. This is achieved by taking advantage of the AER and manipulating the addresses in real time. The proposed architecture, however, requires one approximation: the product operation between the horizontal component H(p) and vertical component V(q) should be able to be approximated by a signed minimum operation without significant performance degradation. It is shown that for edge-extraction applications this filter does not produce performance degradation. The proposed architecture is intended to be used in a complete vision system known as the Boundary-Contour-System and Feature-Contour-System Vision Model, proposed by Grossberg and collaborators. The present paper proposes the architecture, provides a circuit implementation using MOS transistors operated in weak inversion, and shows behavioral simulation results at the system level operation and electrical simulation and experimental results at the circuit level operation of some critical subcircuits
Bio-Inspired Stereo Vision Calibration for Dynamic Vision Sensors
Many advances have been made in the eld of computer vision. Several recent research trends
have focused on mimicking human vision by using a stereo vision system. In multi-camera systems, a
calibration process is usually implemented to improve the results accuracy. However, these systems generate
a large amount of data to be processed; therefore, a powerful computer is required and, in many cases,
this cannot be done in real time. Neuromorphic Engineering attempts to create bio-inspired systems that
mimic the information processing that takes place in the human brain. This information is encoded using
pulses (or spikes) and the generated systems are much simpler (in computational operations and resources),
which allows them to perform similar tasks with much lower power consumption, thus these processes
can be developed over specialized hardware with real-time processing. In this work, a bio-inspired stereovision
system is presented, where a calibration mechanism for this system is implemented and evaluated
using several tests. The result is a novel calibration technique for a neuromorphic stereo vision system,
implemented over specialized hardware (FPGA - Field-Programmable Gate Array), which allows obtaining
reduced latencies on hardware implementation for stand-alone systems, and working in real time.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2016-77785-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2016-80644-
Visual Spike-based Convolution Processing with a Cellular Automata Architecture
this paper presents a first approach for
implementations which fuse the Address-Event-Representation
(AER) processing with the Cellular Automata using FPGA and
AER-tools. This new strategy applies spike-based convolution
filters inspired by Cellular Automata for AER vision
processing. Spike-based systems are neuro-inspired circuits
implementations traditionally used for sensory systems or
sensor signal processing. AER is a neuromorphic
communication protocol for transferring asynchronous events
between VLSI spike-based chips. These neuro-inspired
implementations allow developing complex, multilayer,
multichip neuromorphic systems and have been used to design
sensor chips, such as retinas and cochlea, processing chips, e.g.
filters, and learning chips. Furthermore, Cellular Automata is a
bio-inspired processing model for problem solving. This
approach divides the processing synchronous cells which
change their states at the same time in order to get the solution.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TEC2006-11730-C03-02Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-02Junta de Andalucía P06-TIC-0141
An Approach to Distance Estimation with Stereo Vision Using Address-Event-Representation
Image processing in digital computer systems usually considers the
visual information as a sequence of frames. These frames are from cameras that
capture reality for a short period of time. They are renewed and transmitted at a
rate of 25-30 fps (typical real-time scenario). Digital video processing has to
process each frame in order to obtain a result or detect a feature. In stereo
vision, existing algorithms used for distance estimation use frames from two
digital cameras and process them pixel by pixel to obtain similarities and
differences from both frames; after that, depending on the scene and the
features extracted, an estimate of the distance of the different objects of the
scene is calculated. Spike-based processing is a relatively new approach that
implements the processing by manipulating spikes one by one at the time they
are transmitted, like a human brain. The mammal nervous system is able to
solve much more complex problems, such as visual recognition by
manipulating neuron spikes. The spike-based philosophy for visual information
processing based on the neuro-inspired Address-Event-Representation (AER) is
achieving nowadays very high performances. In this work we propose a two-
DVS-retina system, composed of other elements in a chain, which allow us to
obtain a distance estimation of the moving objects in a close environment. We
will analyze each element of this chain and propose a Multi Hold&Fire
algorithm that obtains the differences between both retinas.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-0
AER Building Blocks for Multi-Layer Multi-Chip Neuromorphic Vision Systems
A 5-layer neuromorphic vision processor whose components
communicate spike events asychronously using the address-eventrepresentation
(AER) is demonstrated. The system includes a retina
chip, two convolution chips, a 2D winner-take-all chip, a delay line
chip, a learning classifier chip, and a set of PCBs for computer
interfacing and address space remappings. The components use a
mixture of analog and digital computation and will learn to classify
trajectories of a moving object. A complete experimental setup and
measurements results are shown.Unión Europea IST-2001-34124 (CAVIAR)Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC-2003-08164-C0
Stereo Matching in Address-Event-Representation (AER) Bio-Inspired Binocular Systems in a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
In stereo-vision processing, the image-matching step is essential for results, although it
involves a very high computational cost. Moreover, the more information is processed, the more time
is spent by the matching algorithm, and the more ine cient it is. Spike-based processing is a relatively
new approach that implements processing methods by manipulating spikes one by one at the time
they are transmitted, like a human brain. The mammal nervous system can solve much more complex
problems, such as visual recognition by manipulating neuron spikes. The spike-based philosophy
for visual information processing based on the neuro-inspired address-event-representation (AER)
is currently achieving very high performance. The aim of this work was to study the viability of a
matching mechanism in stereo-vision systems, using AER codification and its implementation in
a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Some studies have been done before in an AER system
with monitored data using a computer; however, this kind of mechanism has not been implemented
directly on hardware. To this end, an epipolar geometry basis applied to AER systems was studied
and implemented, with other restrictions, in order to achieve good results in a real-time scenario.
The results and conclusions are shown, and the viability of its implementation is proven.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2016-77785-
An Event-Driven Multi-Kernel Convolution Processor Module for Event-Driven Vision Sensors
Event-Driven vision sensing is a new way of sensing
visual reality in a frame-free manner. This is, the vision sensor
(camera) is not capturing a sequence of still frames, as in conventional
video and computer vision systems. In Event-Driven sensors
each pixel autonomously and asynchronously decides when to
send its address out. This way, the sensor output is a continuous
stream of address events representing reality dynamically continuously
and without constraining to frames. In this paper we present
an Event-Driven Convolution Module for computing 2D convolutions
on such event streams. The Convolution Module has been
designed to assemble many of them for building modular and hierarchical
Convolutional Neural Networks for robust shape and
pose invariant object recognition. The Convolution Module has
multi-kernel capability. This is, it will select the convolution kernel
depending on the origin of the event. A proof-of-concept test prototype
has been fabricated in a 0.35 m CMOS process and extensive
experimental results are provided. The Convolution Processor has
also been combined with an Event-Driven Dynamic Vision Sensor
(DVS) for high-speed recognition examples. The chip can discriminate
propellers rotating at 2 k revolutions per second, detect symbols
on a 52 card deck when browsing all cards in 410 ms, or detect
and follow the center of a phosphor oscilloscope trace rotating at
5 KHz.Unión Europea 216777 (NABAB)Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-0
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