Face classification using electronic synapses

作者：Peng Yao, Huaqiang Wu, Bin Gao, Sukru Burc Eryilmaz, Xueyao Huang, Wenqiang Zhang, Qingtian Zhang, Ning Deng, Luping Shi, H.-S. Philip Wong, He Qian · 发表于：Nature Communications · 年份：2017 · DOI：10.1038/ncomms15199 · 被引用次数：915 · 研究领域：Advanced Memory and Neural Computing、Neural dynamics and brain function、Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices

Conventional hardware platforms consume huge amount of energy for cognitive learning due to the data movement between the processor and the off-chip memory. Brain-inspired device technologies using analogue weight storage allow to complete cognitive tasks more efficiently. Here we present an analogue non-volatile resistive memory (an electronic synapse) with foundry friendly materials. The device shows bidirectional continuous weight modulation behaviour. Grey-scale face classification is experimentally demonstrated using an integrated 1024-cell array with parallel online training. The energy consumption within the analogue synapses for each iteration is 1,000 × (20 ×) lower compared to an implementation using Intel Xeon Phi processor with off-chip memory (with hypothetical on-chip digital resistive random access memory). The accuracy on test sets is close to the result using a central processing unit. These experimental results consolidate the feasibility of analogue synaptic array and pave the way toward building an energy efficient and large-scale neuromorphic system.