Design Space Exploration for CNN Offloading to FPGAs at the Edge

Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/ReportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

AI-based IoT applications relying on heavy-load deep learning algorithms like CNNs challenge IoT devices that are restricted in energy or processing capabilities. Edge computing offers an alternative by allowing the data to get offloaded to so-called edge servers with hardware more powerful than IoT devices and physically closer than the cloud. However, the increasing complexity of data and algorithms and diverse conditions make even powerful devices, such as those equipped with FPGAs, insufficient to cope with the current demands. In this case, optimizations in the algorithms, like pruning and early-exit, are mandatory to reduce the CNNs computational burden and speed up inference processing. With that in mind, we propose ExpOL, which combines the pruning and early-exit CNN optimizations in a system-level FPGA-based IoT-Edge design space exploration. Based on a user-defined multi-target optimization, ExpOL delivers designs tailored to specific application environments and user needs. When evaluated against state-of-the-art FPGA-based accelerators (either local or offloaded), designs produced by ExpOL are more power-efficient (by up to 2times) and process inferences at higher user quality of experience (by up to 12.5%).

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2023 IEEE Computer Society Annual Symposium on VLSI, ISVLSI 2023 - Proceedings
EditorsFernanda Kastensmidt, Ricardo Reis, Aida Todri-Sanial, Hai Li, Carolina Metzler
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Number of pages6
ISBN (electronic)979-8-3503-2769-4
Publication statusPublished - 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

Publication series

SeriesIEEE Computer Society Annual Symposium on VLSI
ISSN2159-3477

Conference

Title21th IEEE Computer Society Annual Symposium on VLSI
Abbreviated titleISVLSI 2023
Conference number21
Duration20 - 23 June 2023
Website
LocationRecanto Cataratas hotel
CityFoz do Iguacu
CountryBrazil

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-5007-445X/work/160049118

Keywords

Keywords

  • CNN, Edge Computing, FPGA, IoT, Offloading

Library keywords