arrow
Return

Neuromorphic scaling advantages for energy-efficient random walk computations

delete2022-02-14
delete23
delete
OA
AI
J
J. Darby Smith
H
Hill, Aaron J.
R
Reeder, Leah E.
F
Franke, Brian C.
L
Lehoucq, Richard B.
O
Ojas Parekh
S
Severa, William
J
James B. Aimone *
DOI:10.1038/s41928-021-00705-7delete
deleteOriginal
deleteOriginal request for help
deleteShare
deleteSave
Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Neuromorphic computing, which aims to replicate the computational structure and architecture of the brain in synthetic hardware, has typically focused on artificial intelligence applications. What is less explored is whether such brain-inspired hardware can provide value beyond cognitive tasks. Here we show that the high degree of parallelism and configurability of spiking neuromorphic architectures makes them well suited to implement random walks via discrete-time Markov chains. These random walks are useful in Monte Carlo methods, which represent a fundamental computational tool for solving a wide range of numerical computing tasks. Using IBM's TrueNorth and Intel's Loihi neuromorphic computing platforms, we show that our neuromorphic computing algorithm for generating random walk approximations of diffusion offers advantages in energy-efficient computation compared with conventional approaches. We also show that our neuromorphic computing algorithm can be extended to more sophisticated jump-diffusion processes that are useful in a range of applications, including financial economics, particle physics and machine learning. Neuromorphic hardware designed to implement spiking neural networks for deep learning and artificial intelligence applications can also be used to solve non-cognitive computational tasks such as Monte Carlo methods.
Keywords:
MONTE-CARLO
COMMUNICATION
ALGORITHMS
LOIHI
GPUS

Journal

Nature Electronics cover
Nature Electronics
IF:
40.9
Papers:
1.7K
Citations:
2.1W

Organization

U
united states department of energy (doe)
Scholars:
11.3W
Papers: 9.6W
Citations: 246