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Closed-loop Neuro-robotic Experiments to Test Computational Properties of Neuronal Networks
Published on: March 2, 2015
Hardware implementation of a new artificial neuron
Richard Labib1, Francis Audette, Alexandre Fortin
1Département de mathématiques et génie industriel, Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, Canada. richard.labib@polymtl.ca
Abstract:
This paper describes an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) implementation of a new type of neuron, the Quantron. The goal is to demonstrate the capability of current technology to closely recreate the human body's reaction to a change of temperature. This is accomplished by creating a function that adds a number of kernels at different frequencies depending on the external temperature. Once the sum of the kernels reaches a certain threshold, the artificial neural network, equivalent to its biological counterpart, "reacts" by sending a specific output signal designed to trigger a response. The various elements of each subsystem are discussed and implemented in software and hardware. The results are analyzed in terms of accuracy and efficiency compared to the biological equivalent.
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