A flexible brain for AI

Scientists at Osaka University built a new computing device from field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) that can be customized by the user for maximum efficiency in artificial intelligence applications.

Compared with currently used rewireable hardware, the system increases circuit density by a factor of 12. Also, it is expected to reduce energy usage by 80%. This advance may lead to flexible artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that provide enhanced performance while consuming much less electricity.

AI is becoming a part of everyday life for almost all consumers. Ridesharing smartphone apps like Uber, Gmail's spam filters, and smart-home devices like Siri and Nest all rely on AI.

However, implementing these algorithms often require a large amount of computing power, which means large electricity bills, as well as big carbon footprints. Systems that could--like the human brain - be rewired to optimize the computer circuitry for each task would provide greatly enhanced energy efficiency.

Normally, we think of hardware, which includes the physical logic gates and transistors of a computer's processor, as fixed by the manufacturer. However, field-programmable gate arrays are specialized logical elements that can be rewired "in the field" by the user for custom logic applications.

The research team used non-volatile "via-switches" that remain connected until the user decided to reconfigure them. Using novel nanofabrication methods, they were able to pack twelve times more elements into a grid-like "crossbar" layout. By reducing the distance electronic signals need to be routed, the devices ended up needing 80% less power.

"Our system based on field-programmable gate arrays has a very fast design cycle. It can be reprogrammed daily if desired to get the most computing power for each new AI application," first author Masanori Hashimoto says. The use of via-switches also eliminates the need for the programing silicon area that was necessary in previous FPGA devices.

"Via-switch FPGA is suitable as a high-performance implementation platform of the latest AI algorithms," says senior author Jaehoon Yu.

Research Report: "Via-switch FPGA: 65nm CMOS implementation and architecture extension for AI applications"

Related Links
Osaka University
All about the robots on Earth and beyond!

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Robots autonomously navigate underground in DARPA challenge
Washington DC (SPX) Mar 03, 2020
Whether robots are exploring caves on other planets or disaster areas here on Earth, autonomy enables them to navigate extreme environments without human guidance or access to GPS. The Subterranean Challenge, or SubT, is testing this kind of cutting-edge technology. Sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the contest concluded its second circuit on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Taking first in the competition was CoSTAR, a 12-robot, 60-person team led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab ... read more