Lecture

Neuromorphic Computing: Concepts and Hardware Implementations

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In course

MSE-806: Spin-based devices for neuromorphic computing

The course entails a 5-days-program with lectures and exercises about spin-based computing and novel spin texture-based computing devices. An additional round table discussion and journal club session provide further knowledge about recent trends and chall ...

Description

This lecture introduces the concept of neuromorphic computing, which involves using electronic analog circuits to mimic neuro-biological architectures present in the nervous system. The instructor explains the need for novel neuromorphic compute architectures and hardware to efficiently execute new algorithms at large scales. The lecture also covers the challenges faced in ternary computing and successful binary computing cases, such as Moore's Law and the advancements in transistor count on microchips. Hardware simulations of the brain, including Boolean simulations and the comparison of neurons to CPUs, are discussed. Additionally, the lecture delves into the potential of new materials for artificial brain cells and the compatibility requirements for implementing synaptic functionality in memristors.

Instructor

Dirk Grundler

Official source

Related concepts (32)

Neuromorphic engineering

Neuromorphic computing is an approach to computing that is inspired by the structure and function of the human brain. A neuromorphic computer/chip is any device that uses physical artificial neurons to do computations. In recent times, the term neuromorphic has been used to describe analog, digital, mixed-mode analog/digital VLSI, and software systems that implement models of neural systems (for perception, motor control, or multisensory integration).

Spiking neural network

Artificial neural network Spiking neural networks (SNNs) are artificial neural networks that more closely mimic natural neural networks. In addition to neuronal and synaptic state, SNNs incorporate the concept of time into their operating model. The idea is that neurons in the SNN do not transmit information at each propagation cycle (as it happens with typical multi-layer perceptron networks), but rather transmit information only when a membrane potential—an intrinsic quality of the neuron related to its membrane electrical charge—reaches a specific value, called the threshold.

Biological neuron model

Biological neuron models, also known as a spiking neuron models, are mathematical descriptions of the properties of certain cells in the nervous system that generate sharp electrical potentials across their cell membrane, roughly one millisecond in duration, called action potentials or spikes (Fig. 2). Since spikes are transmitted along the axon and synapses from the sending neuron to many other neurons, spiking neurons are considered to be a major information processing unit of the nervous system.

Computer

A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks. A computer system is a nominally complete computer that includes the hardware, operating system (main software), and peripheral equipment needed and used for full operation.

Storage area network

A storage area network (SAN) or storage network is a computer network which provides access to consolidated, block-level data storage. SANs are primarily used to access data storage devices, such as disk arrays and tape libraries from servers so that the devices appear to the operating system as direct-attached storage. A SAN typically is a dedicated network of storage devices not accessible through the local area network (LAN). Although a SAN provides only block-level access, built on top of SANs do provide file-level access and are known as s.

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