EON-1: A Brain-Inspired Processor for Near-Sensor Extreme Edge Online Feature Extraction

For Edge AI applications, deploying online learning and adaptation on resource-constrained embedded devices can deal with fast sensor-generated streams of data in changing environments. However, since maintaining low-latency and power-efficient inference is paramount at the Edge, online learning and adaptation on the device should impose minimal additional overhead for inference. With this goal in mind, we explore energy-efficient learning and adaptation on-device for streaming-data Edge AI applications using Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), which follow the principles of brain-inspired computing, such as high-parallelism, neuron co-located memory and compute, and event-driven processing. We propose EON-1, a brain-inspired processor for near-sensor extreme edge online feature extraction, that integrates a fast online learning and adaptation algorithm. We report results of only 1% energy overhead for learning, by far the lowest overhead when compared to other SoTA solutions, while attaining comparable inference accuracy. Furthermore, we demonstrate that EON-1 is up for the challenge of low-latency processing of HD and UHD streaming video in real-time, with learning enabled.

Open the box of digital neuromorphic processor: Towards effective algorithm-hardware co-design

Sparse and event-driven spiking neural network (SNN) algorithms are the ideal candidate solution for energy-efficient edge computing. Yet, with the growing complexity of SNN algorithms, it isn't easy to properly benchmark and optimize their computational cost without hardware in the loop. Although digital neuromorphic processors have been widely adopted to benchmark SNN algorithms, their black-box nature is problematic for algorithm-hardware co-optimization. In this work, we open the black box of the digital neuromorphic processor for algorithm designers by presenting the neuron processing instruction set and detailed energy consumption of the SENeCA neuromorphic architecture. For convenient benchmarking and optimization, we provide the energy cost of the essential neuromorphic components in SENeCA, including neuron models and learning rules. Moreover, we exploit the SENeCA's hierarchical memory and exhibit an advantage over existing neuromorphic processors. We show the energy efficiency of SNN algorithms for video processing and online learning, and demonstrate the potential of our work for optimizing algorithm designs. Overall, we present a practical approach to enable algorithm designers to accurately benchmark SNN algorithms and pave the way towards effective algorithm-hardware co-design.