A versatile pulse-mode biomimic artificial neuron using a capacitor free integrate and - fire technique

Forgetful logic circuits for pulse-mode neural networks

“…This technique can be used to enable specific cell groups of BAN neurons to implement re-configurable neurocomputing functional units. Similarly, by applying the FFF output to an inhibitory BAN input [16], the sensitivity of the BAN to synaptic inputs is reduced and, if the inhibitory weight of the BAN is large enough, can even be suppressed entirely (disabling of BAN cell assemblies). It should also be noted that because the FFF acts as a filter to low firing-rates, the augmentation action can be made frequency-selective.…”

“…Assume that a firing response is induced in the BAN such that the firing rate at B is high enough to invoke a response in the FFF. When the FFF output goes HIGH, its signal is applied to an inhibitory synaptic input at the BAN, thereby reducing the BAN firing rate [16]. This mode of pulse coding is called an accommodation response by biologists and is frequently observed in numerous biological neurons.…”

“…The neuron element used is a previously reported design known as a biomimic artificial neuron (BAN) [13], [16]. The first application is the use of a FFF to increase the sensitivity of a neuron to excitatory synaptic inputs.…”

“…Here the synaptic weight at A is set high enough that the FL signal invokes an AP from the BAN. Because the FL output pulse is wider than that of the BAN, the BAN retriggers after its refractory period and re-fires [16]. Forgetful logic used to turn a BAN integrate-and-fire cell into a bursting cell.…”

“…In this paper we present simple circuits for implementing these sorts of elastic modulation features in pulse-mode artificial neural networks and illustrate its use with some examples of rate-and tetanus-duration selectivity in networks comprised of previously reported mixed-signal VLSI pulse-mode neurons [13]- [16]. The circuit is selective for ranges of input firing rates and number of pulses received.…”