SpinLink: An interconnection system for the SpiNNaker biologically inspired multi-computer

SpiNNaker is a large-scale biologically-inspired multi-computer designed to model very heavily distributed problems, with the flagship application being the simulation of large neural networks. The project goal is to have one million processors included in a single machine, which consequently span many thousands of circuit boards. A computer of this scale imposes large communication requirements between these boards, and requires an extensible method of connecting to external equipment such as sensors, actuators and visualisation systems. This paper describes two systems that can address each of these problems.Firstly, SpinLink is a proposed method of connecting the SpiNNaker boards by using time-division multiplexing (TDM) to allow eight SpiNNaker links to run at maximum bandwidth between two boards. SpinLink will be deployed on Spartan-6 FPGAs and uses a locally generated clock that can be paused while the asynchronous links from SpiNNaker are sending data, thus ensuring a fast and glitch-free response. Secondly, SpiNNterceptor is a separate system, currently in the early stages of design, that will build upon SpinLink to address the important external I/O issues faced by SpiNNaker. Specifically, spare resources in the FPGAs will be used to implement the debugging and I/O interfacing features of SpiNNterceptor

Effects of Deep Slow Breath Training on Performance and Recovery During High Intensity Interval Cycling

The present investigation sought to delineate the effects of a six-week deep slow breathing (DSB) program on measures of cycling performance (mean power: MP), recovery (heart rate recovery: HRR, and expired carbon dioxide: VCO2), and pulmonary capacities (vital capacity: VC, forced expiratory volume: FEV1, and maximum voluntary ventilation: MVV). Twenty male cyclists were divided into training (n=10) and control (n=10) groups, where the training group completed a six-week DSB program in addition to their own training while the control group completed no breathe training. Participants completed two testing sessions, one before and one after the six-week period. Testing sessions involved three repeated Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnT) with three minutes of passive recovery between each interval. MP was recorded for each WAnT while measures of VCO2 and HRR were taken immediately following each WAnT. No significant (p \u3c 0.05) differences were found between groups for any of the variables measured, while both groups exhibited increase MP in the second WAnT (T2) following the six-week training period (Treatment: pre: 516.30 ± 20.82 W versus post: 536.38 ± 20.62 W; p = 0.010; Control: pre: 549.93 ± 18.66 W versus post: 567.83 ± 18.44 W; p = 0.010). The results presented here suggest DSB provides no performance benefit relevant to recovery or pulmonary capabilities during high intensity interval cycling, beyond those which are incurred via endurance training