Enabling Efficient On-Edge Spiking Neural Network Acceleration with Highly Flexible FPGA Architectures

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) promise to perform tasks currently performed by classical artificial neural networks (ANNs) faster, in smaller footprints, and using less energy. Neuromorphic processors are set out to revolutionize computing at a large scale, but the move to edge-computing applications calls for finely-tuned custom implementations to keep pushing towards more efficient systems. To that end, we examined the architectural design space for executing spiking neuron models on FPGA platforms, focusing on achieving ultra-low area and power consumption. This work presents an efficient clock-driven spiking neuron architecture used for the implementation of both fully-connected cores and 2D convolutional cores, which rely on deep pipelines for synaptic processing and distributed memory for weight and neuron states. With them, we developed an accelerator for an SNN version of the LeNet-5 network trained on the MNIST dataset. At around 5.5 slices/neuron and only 348 mW, it is able to use 33% less area and four times less power per neuron as current state-of-the-art implementations while keeping low simulation step times.