72 research outputs found
Delay Learning Architectures for Memory and Classification
We present a neuromorphic spiking neural network, the DELTRON, that can
remember and store patterns by changing the delays of every connection as
opposed to modifying the weights. The advantage of this architecture over
traditional weight based ones is simpler hardware implementation without
multipliers or digital-analog converters (DACs) as well as being suited to
time-based computing. The name is derived due to similarity in the learning
rule with an earlier architecture called Tempotron. The DELTRON can remember
more patterns than other delay-based networks by modifying a few delays to
remember the most 'salient' or synchronous part of every spike pattern. We
present simulations of memory capacity and classification ability of the
DELTRON for different random spatio-temporal spike patterns. The memory
capacity for noisy spike patterns and missing spikes are also shown. Finally,
we present SPICE simulation results of the core circuits involved in a
reconfigurable mixed signal implementation of this architecture.Comment: 27 pages, 20 figure
Racing to Learn: Statistical Inference and Learning in a Single Spiking Neuron with Adaptive Kernels
This paper describes the Synapto-dendritic Kernel Adapting Neuron (SKAN), a
simple spiking neuron model that performs statistical inference and
unsupervised learning of spatiotemporal spike patterns. SKAN is the first
proposed neuron model to investigate the effects of dynamic synapto-dendritic
kernels and demonstrate their computational power even at the single neuron
scale. The rule-set defining the neuron is simple there are no complex
mathematical operations such as normalization, exponentiation or even
multiplication. The functionalities of SKAN emerge from the real-time
interaction of simple additive and binary processes. Like a biological neuron,
SKAN is robust to signal and parameter noise, and can utilize both in its
operations. At the network scale neurons are locked in a race with each other
with the fastest neuron to spike effectively hiding its learnt pattern from its
neighbors. The robustness to noise, high speed and simple building blocks not
only make SKAN an interesting neuron model in computational neuroscience, but
also make it ideal for implementation in digital and analog neuromorphic
systems which is demonstrated through an implementation in a Field Programmable
Gate Array (FPGA).Comment: In submission to Frontiers in Neuroscienc
A compact aVLSI conductance-based silicon neuron
We present an analogue Very Large Scale Integration (aVLSI) implementation
that uses first-order lowpass filters to implement a conductance-based silicon
neuron for high-speed neuromorphic systems. The aVLSI neuron consists of a soma
(cell body) and a single synapse, which is capable of linearly summing both the
excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP and IPSP) generated by
the spikes arriving from different sources. Rather than biasing the silicon
neuron with different parameters for different spiking patterns, as is
typically done, we provide digital control signals, generated by an FPGA, to
the silicon neuron to obtain different spiking behaviours. The proposed neuron
is only ~26.5 um2 in the IBM 130nm process and thus can be integrated at very
high density. Circuit simulations show that this neuron can emulate different
spiking behaviours observed in biological neurons.Comment: BioCAS-201
A Reconfigurable Mixed-signal Implementation of a Neuromorphic ADC
We present a neuromorphic Analogue-to-Digital Converter (ADC), which uses
integrate-and-fire (I&F) neurons as the encoders of the analogue signal, with
modulated inhibitions to decohere the neuronal spikes trains. The architecture
consists of an analogue chip and a control module. The analogue chip comprises
two scan chains and a twodimensional integrate-and-fire neuronal array.
Individual neurons are accessed via the chains one by one without any encoder
decoder or arbiter. The control module is implemented on an FPGA (Field
Programmable Gate Array), which sends scan enable signals to the scan chains
and controls the inhibition for individual neurons. Since the control module is
implemented on an FPGA, it can be easily reconfigured. Additionally, we propose
a pulse width modulation methodology for the lateral inhibition, which makes
use of different pulse widths indicating different strengths of inhibition for
each individual neuron to decohere neuronal spikes. Software simulations in
this paper tested the robustness of the proposed ADC architecture to fixed
random noise. A circuit simulation using ten neurons shows the performance and
the feasibility of the architecture.Comment: BioCAS-201
Symbolic analysis of tau cell log-domain filter using affine MOSFET models
This paper analyses a filter known as the Tau Cell using symbolic methods and shows that the operation of this filter is independent of the magnitude of the input DC offset. This means that the circuit places no restrictions on whether the input DC offset is a sub-threshold current or not. The circuit behaviour predicted from symbolic analysis was observed in similar circuits on a chip fabricated using MOSIS AMI 1.6μm technology. This paper highlights the utility of symbolic analysis and shows that it is a powerful tool for circuit analysis and design
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