Brain –inspired

computing
The origins of artificial intelligence (AI) can be traced back to the desire to build thinking machines, or
electronic brains. A defining moment occurred back in 1958, when Frank Rosenblatt created the first
artificial neuron that could learn by iteratively strengthening the weights of the most relevant inputs and
decreasing others to achieve a desired output. The IBM 704, a computer the size of a room, was fed a
series of punch cards and after 50 trials it learnt to distinguish cards marked on the left from cards marked
on the right. This was the demonstration of the single-layer perceptron, or, according to its creator, "the
first machine capable of having an original idea". [1]
Computation in brains and the creation of intelligent systems have been studied in a symbiotic fashion for
many decades. This special theme highlights this enduring relationship, with contributions from some of
the region’s leading academic and industrial research laboratories. Ongoing collaboration between
neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, AI researchers, and experts in disruptive computing hardware
technologies and materials has made Europe a hotspot of brain-inspired computing research. The progress
has been accelerated by EU-funded activities in the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)
programme, and more recently in the Human Brain Project. Over the last decade, similar large-scale
interdisciplinary projects have started in the rest of the world, such as the BRAIN initiative in the US, and
national initiatives in China, Canada and Australia. Brain-inspired computing projects from large
industrial players such as IBM, Intel, Samsung and Huawei have focused on disruptive hardware
technologies and systems. In technology roadmaps, brain-inspired computing is commonly seen as a
future key enabler for AI on the edge.
Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have only vague similarities with biological neurons, which sparingly
communicate using binary spikes at a low firing rate. However, compared with conventional ANNs,
spiking neural networks (SNNs) require further innovation to be able to classify data accurately. Wozniak
et al. present the spiking neural unit (SNU), a model that can be introduced into deep learning
architectures and trained to a high accuracy over a broad range of applications, including music and
weather prediction. Yin et al. show another application of backpropagation through time for tasks such
ECG analysis and speech recognition, with a novel type of adaptive spiking recurrent neural network
(SRNN) that achieves matching accuracy and an estimated 30 to 150-fold energy improvement over
conventional RNNs. Masquelier also exploits backpropagation through time, but accounts for the timing
of spikes too, achieving comparable classification accuracy of speech commands compared with
conventional deep neural networks.
Spinnaker, described by Furber, and Brain Scales, outlined by Schemmel, are the two neuromorphic
computing systems that are being developed within the Human Brain Project. With a million cores
representing neurons interconnected by a novel fabric optimized to transmit spikes, Spinnaker allowed the
first real-time simulation of a model of the early sensory cortex, estimated to be two to three times faster
than when using GPUs or HPC systems. Brain Scales introduced novel chips of analogue hardware
circuits to represent each neuron, which are then configured in spiking neural networks, performing over
1000 times faster than real time, and leverage general-purpose cores closest to the analogue cores to
control the plasticity of each neuron's synapses. This enables experimentation with various learning
methods: For instance, Baumbach et al. describe use cases that exploit these cores and simulate the
environment of a bee looking for food, or perform reinforcement learning for the Pong game. In Göltz et
al., the timing of spikes is exploited, with an encoding representing more prominent features with earlier
spikes, and training of the synaptic plasticity implemented by error backpropagation of first-time spikes.
Brain –inspired
computing
 Brain –inspired
computing

How can modern AI benefit from neuroscience and cognitive science research? Alexandre et al. present
their interdisciplinary approach towards transferring neuroscientific findings to new models of AI. Two
articles demonstrate how both hardware- and data-efficiency can be increased by following brain-inspired
self-organization principles. The SOMA project, presented by Girau et al., applies both structural and
synaptic neural plasticity principles to 3D cellular FPGA platforms. The multi-modal Reentrant Self-
Organizing Map (ReSOM) model presented by Khacef et al. highlights new opportunities to reduce the
need for high volumes of labelled data by exploiting multi-modal associations. Ahmad et al. introduce
more plausible approaches towards plasticity to replace the well-known, but biologically unrealistic,
backpropagation algorithm used for training deep neural networks. Nagy et al. use results from human
memory experiments to inform a new semantic compression technique for images, which captures the gist
of visual memories. The highly efficient processing of the visual system is used as inspiration for a novel
image and video compression technique by Doutsi et al., exploiting the temporal dynamics of spiking
neurons to detect characteristics of visual scenes.
A promising approach to brain-like computation, which could be applied to machine learning and
robotics, is computing with very high-dimensional, unreliable, highly efficient, and widely distributed
neuronal representations. Rahimi et al. present an implementation of hyperdimensional computing on
integrated permissive crossbars, showing how this computational paradigm is particularly well-suited for
permissive hardware. Other examples of hardware–software co-design are described by Breiling et al.,
who present the results of a national competition in Germany, in which entrants developed energy-
efficient AI hardware for ECG classification.
Brains naturally combine signals from different modalities, which can help develop better sensor fusion
algorithms for artificial autonomous systems. A neuromorphic implementation of a visual-auditory
integration model using bio-inspired sensors for accurate and stable localization is presented by Oess and
Neumann. Similarly, Janotte et al. describe a neuromorphic approach to both sensing and local processing
of tactile signals. In their approach, event-driven sensors in the electronic skin encode tactile stimuli, and
spiking neural networks learn to extract information that can be used for real time, low power control of
robots or prostheses.
Computational neuroscience is an important source of information for brain-inspired computing. When
trying to model the vast repertoire of learning rules at play at any time in different parts of the brain,
manual modeling of plasticity rules beyond Hebbian learning and STDP becomes tedious. Mettler et al.
demonstrate how new mechanistic principles and rules for plasticity can be discovered by evolutionary
algorithms, using an evolving-to-learn approach. A new mechanistic model of the cerebellar Purkinje
neuron, by Nilsson and Jörntell, is matched to in-vivo recordings of spike communications and provides a
surprisingly simple explanation as to what such cells actually do.
Europe is currently a leader in advancing neuromorphic computing technologies, but there is still a long
road ahead to translate the research and technology development results into novel products. The
NEUROTECH project, presented by Payvand et al., has been very successful in building a community for
European researchers in the field of neuromorphic computing. Among the highlights are monthly
educational events on core themes such as event-driven sensing, and circuits for processing and learning.
Projects such as Neuro Agents, described by Indiveri, aim to develop autonomous intelligent agents that
show cognitive abilities on robotic platforms, entirely based on brain-inspired algorithms, sensors, and
processors.
Brain –inspired
computing
Brain –inspired
computing