Neuromorphic Devices, 2013–2023
They’ve been a novelty for a long time, but now they can’t be ignored.
15 Minutes
The term neuromorphic is inspired by neurology, the branch of medicine that studies the nervous system. You need to watch this 15-minute, super fun, and very helpful video about neuromorphic architecture titled “Brain-Like (Neuromorphic) Computing — Computerphile by Philip Moriarty.
Phil has 2.24M subscribers! This is a must-see video if you want your product to go beyond recognizing the difference between a squirrel and a delivery driver. Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/Qow8pIvExH4
They Are Ready. Kind Of.
Neuromorphic computing has been an emerging field for more than ten years. The goal is to create computers that mimic the structure and function of the human brain. I’ve been following neuromorphic computing since 2013.
Neuromorphic designs have been around even longer than I’ve followed them. As early as 2006, researchers from Georgia Tech designed a programmable neural array[i], a foundational component of neuromorphic systems.
Recently, I’ve seen an uptick in the number of articles about this technology and several companies testing the waters with their neuromorphic devices — Intel® being possibly the most notable. Intel® has a product line of neuromorphic devices named “Loihi 2.” You can read about it here.
It Still Takes Faith
A belief drives this neuromorphic approach. That belief is that the brain’s unique architecture and computational capabilities are a realistic architecture for electronics and that this design will significantly improve AI energy efficiency, performance, and adaptability over traditional von Neumann computers.
Joining the neuromorphic scrum takes a leap of faith. Neuromorphic computers use artificial neurons and synapses. The term “artificial” makes these components appear magical; they don’t have to be. Artificial neurons and synapses are typically just electronic components that mimic the behavior of their biological counterparts. Still, when science scales these components down to quantum sizes, then strange engineering is required.
Are We There Yet?
So, are we there yet? After ten years of tracking its progress, I am encouraged that real systems are being built upon neuromorphic architecture. I believe that neuromorphic systems are the way forward; look at nature. We can find exceptions, like plants and viruses, but for the most part, living things with a measurable level of reasoning use neurons, synapses, and an architecture that facilitates “higher level” processing. So, my bet is the same one as biology.
I could be horribly wrong, but let’s consider who else sides with my belief. Consider this roster of heavy-hitter companies working on neuromorphic systems — the word “neuromorphic” doesn’t always appear in their marketing materials. Still, a rejection of von Neumann architecture nearly always does.
- Intel®, Loihi 2
- IBM®, The TrueNorth chip
- BrainChip Holdings® Ltd, a range of devices
- Qualcomm®, yes, that Qualcomm: develops neuromorphic chips for mobile applications
- HP Enterprise®, neuromorphic chips for enterprise applications
- SK Hynix® Inc., neuromorphic chips for memory applications
- Gyrfalcon Technology® Inc., neuromorphic chips for aerospace applications
There are more companies, but you can see the trend. We have reached an inflection point where top-tier companies apply neuromorphic technology across a wide range of use cases. Will neuromorphic systems become mainstream? Who knows? But don’t be surprised if your next smartphone has an option to upgrade its synapses!
Gary Moore, Senior Editor
National Tech Front
r/nationaltechfront
[i] (N.d.). Ieee.Org. Retrieved November 13, 2023, from https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1693534
