A fixed point exponential function accelerator for a neuromorphic many-core system

Research output: Contribution to book/conference proceedings/anthology/reportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Many models of spiking neural networks heavily rely on exponential waveforms. On neuromorphic multiprocessor systems like SpiNNaker, they have to be approximated by dedicated algorithms, often dominating the processing load. Here we present a processor extension for fast calculation of exponentials, aimed at integration in the next-generation SpiNNaker system. Our implementation achieves single-LSB precision in a 32bit fixed-point format and 250Mexp/s throughput at 0.44nJ/exp for nominal supply (1.0V), or 0.21nJ/exp at 0.7V supply and 77Mexp/s, demonstrating a throughput multiplication of almost 50 and 98% energy reduction at 2% area overhead per processor on a 28nm CMOS chip.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Number of pages4
ISBN (electronic)9781467368520
Publication statusPublished - 25 Sept 2017
Peer-reviewedYes

Publication series

SeriesProceedings - IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems
ISSN0271-4310

Conference

Title50th IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, ISCAS 2017
Duration28 - 31 May 2017
CityBaltimore
CountryUnited States of America

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-6286-5064/work/160048714

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • exponential function, MPSoC, neuromorphic computing, SpiNNaker