The Yin-Yang dataset

The Yin-Yang dataset was developed for research on biologically plausible error backpropagation and deep learning in spiking neural networks. It serves as an alternative to classic deep learning datasets, especially in early-stage prototyping scenarios for both network models and hardware platforms, for which it provides several advantages. First, it is smaller and therefore faster to learn, thereby being better suited for small-scale exploratory studies in both software simulations and hardware prototypes. Second, it exhibits a very clear gap between the accuracies achievable using shallow as compared to deep neural networks. Third, it is easily transferable between spatial and temporal input domains, making it interesting for different types of classification scenarios

Natural-gradient learning for spiking neurons.

In many normative theories of synaptic plasticity, weight updates implicitly depend on the chosen parametrization of the weights. This problem relates, for example, to neuronal morphology: synapses which are functionally equivalent in terms of their impact on somatic firing can differ substantially in spine size due to their different positions along the dendritic tree. Classical theories based on Euclidean-gradient descent can easily lead to inconsistencies due to such parametrization dependence. The issues are solved in the framework of Riemannian geometry, in which we propose that plasticity instead follows natural-gradient descent. Under this hypothesis, we derive a synaptic learning rule for spiking neurons that couples functional efficiency with the explanation of several well-documented biological phenomena such as dendritic democracy, multiplicative scaling, and heterosynaptic plasticity. We therefore suggest that in its search for functional synaptic plasticity, evolution might have come up with its own version of natural-gradient descent

Natural-gradient learning for spiking neurons

In many normative theories of synaptic plasticity, weight updates implicitly depend on the chosen parametrization of the weights. This problem relates, for example, to neuronal morphology: synapses which are functionally equivalent in terms of their impact on somatic firing can differ substantially in spine size due to their different positions along the dendritic tree. Classical theories based on Euclidean gradient descent can easily lead to inconsistencies due to such parametrization dependence. The issues are solved in the framework of Riemannian geometry, in which we propose that plasticity instead follows natural gradient descent. Under this hypothesis, we derive a synaptic learning rule for spiking neurons that couples functional efficiency with the explanation of several well-documented biological phenomena such as dendritic democracy, multiplicative scaling and heterosynaptic plasticity. We therefore suggest that in its search for functional synaptic plasticity, evolution might have come up with its own version of natural gradient descent.Comment: Joint senior authorship: Walter M. Senn and Mihai A. Petrovic

Deterministic networks for probabilistic computing

Neural-network models of high-level brain functions such as memory recall and reasoning often rely on the presence of stochasticity. The majority of these models assumes that each neuron in the functional network is equipped with its own private source of randomness, often in the form of uncorrelated external noise. However, both in vivo and in silico, the number of noise sources is limited due to space and bandwidth constraints. Hence, neurons in large networks usually need to share noise sources. Here, we show that the resulting shared-noise correlations can significantly impair the performance of stochastic network models. We demonstrate that this problem can be overcome by using deterministic recurrent neural networks as sources of uncorrelated noise, exploiting the decorrelating effect of inhibitory feedback. Consequently, even a single recurrent network of a few hundred neurons can serve as a natural noise source for large ensembles of functional networks, each comprising thousands of units. We successfully apply the proposed framework to a diverse set of binary-unit networks with different dimensionalities and entropies, as well as to a network reproducing handwritten digits with distinct predefined frequencies. Finally, we show that the same design transfers to functional networks of spiking neurons.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure

Learning cortical representations through perturbed and adversarial dreaming.

Humans and other animals learn to extract general concepts from sensory experience without extensive teaching. This ability is thought to be facilitated by offline states like sleep where previous experiences are systemically replayed. However, the characteristic creative nature of dreams suggests that learning semantic representations may go beyond merely replaying previous experiences. We support this hypothesis by implementing a cortical architecture inspired by generative adversarial networks (GANs). Learning in our model is organized across three different global brain states mimicking wakefulness, NREM and REM sleep, optimizing different, but complementary objective functions. We train the model on standard datasets of natural images and evaluate the quality of the learned representations. Our results suggest that generating new, virtual sensory inputs via adversarial dreaming during REM sleep is essential for extracting semantic concepts, while replaying episodic memories via perturbed dreaming during NREM sleep improves the robustness of latent representations. The model provides a new computational perspective on sleep states, memory replay and dreams and suggests a cortical implementation of GANs

Variational learning of quantum ground states on spiking neuromorphic hardware.

Recent research has demonstrated the usefulness of neural networks as variational ansatz functions for quantum many-body states. However, high-dimensional sampling spaces and transient autocorrelations confront these approaches with a challenging computational bottleneck. Compared to conventional neural networks, physical model devices offer a fast, efficient and inherently parallel substrate capable of related forms of Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling. Here, we demonstrate the ability of a neuromorphic chip to represent the ground states of quantum spin models by variational energy minimization. We develop a training algorithm and apply it to the transverse field Ising model, showing good performance at moderate system sizes ( ). A systematic hyperparameter study shows that performance depends on sample quality, which is limited by temporal parameter variations on the analog neuromorphic chip. Our work thus provides an important step towards harnessing the capabilities of neuromorphic hardware for tackling the curse of dimensionality in quantum many-body problems

Spiking neurons with short-term synaptic plasticity form superior generative networks

Spiking networks that perform probabilistic inference have been proposed both as models of cortical computation and as candidates for solving problems in machine learning. However, the evidence for spike-based computation being in any way superior to non-spiking alternatives remains scarce. We propose that short-term plasticity can provide spiking networks with distinct computational advantages compared to their classical counterparts. In this work, we use networks of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons that are trained to perform both discriminative and generative tasks in their forward and backward information processing paths, respectively. During training, the energy landscape associated with their dynamics becomes highly diverse, with deep attractor basins separated by high barriers. Classical algorithms solve this problem by employing various tempering techniques, which are both computationally demanding and require global state updates. We demonstrate how similar results can be achieved in spiking networks endowed with local short-term synaptic plasticity. Additionally, we discuss how these networks can even outperform tempering-based approaches when the training data is imbalanced. We thereby show how biologically inspired, local, spike-triggered synaptic dynamics based simply on a limited pool of synaptic resources can allow spiking networks to outperform their non-spiking relatives.Comment: corrected typo in abstrac

Demonstrating Advantages of Neuromorphic Computation: A Pilot Study

Neuromorphic devices represent an attempt to mimic aspects of the brain's architecture and dynamics with the aim of replicating its hallmark functional capabilities in terms of computational power, robust learning and energy efficiency. We employ a single-chip prototype of the BrainScaleS 2 neuromorphic system to implement a proof-of-concept demonstration of reward-modulated spike-timing-dependent plasticity in a spiking network that learns to play the Pong video game by smooth pursuit. This system combines an electronic mixed-signal substrate for emulating neuron and synapse dynamics with an embedded digital processor for on-chip learning, which in this work also serves to simulate the virtual environment and learning agent. The analog emulation of neuronal membrane dynamics enables a 1000-fold acceleration with respect to biological real-time, with the entire chip operating on a power budget of 57mW. Compared to an equivalent simulation using state-of-the-art software, the on-chip emulation is at least one order of magnitude faster and three orders of magnitude more energy-efficient. We demonstrate how on-chip learning can mitigate the effects of fixed-pattern noise, which is unavoidable in analog substrates, while making use of temporal variability for action exploration. Learning compensates imperfections of the physical substrate, as manifested in neuronal parameter variability, by adapting synaptic weights to match respective excitability of individual neurons.Comment: Added measurements with noise in NEST simulation, add notice about journal publication. Frontiers in Neuromorphic Engineering (2019