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Analog resistive memories promise to reduce the energy of neural networks by orders of magnitude. However, the write variability and write nonlinearity of current devices prevent neural networks from training to high accuracy. We present a novel periodic carry method that uses a positional number system to overcome this while maintaining the benefit of parallel analog matrix operations. We demonstrate how noisy, nonlinear TaOx devices that could only train to 80% accuracy on MNIST, can now reach 97% accuracy, only 1% away from an ideal numeric accuracy of 98%. On a file type dataset, the TaOx devices achieve ideal numeric accuracy. In addition, low noise, linear Li1-xCoO2 devices train to ideal numeric accuracies using periodic carry on both datasets.

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TYPE Conference Poster YEAR 2017

DOI OSTI Scopus

Achieving Ideal Accuracies in Analog Neuromorphic Computing Using Periodic Carry

Agarwal, Sapan A.; Jacobs-Gedrim, Robin B.; Hsia, Alexander W.; Hughart, David R.; Fuller, Elliot J.; Talin, A.A.; James, Conrad D.; Plimpton, Steven J.; Marinella, Matthew J.

Abstract not provided.

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TYPE Conference Poster YEAR 2017

DOI OSTI

Resistive memory device requirements for a neural algorithm accelerator

Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks

Agarwal, Sapan A.; Plimpton, Steven J.; Hughart, David R.; Hsia, Alexander W.; Richter, Isaac; Cox, Jonathan A.; James, Conrad D.; Marinella, Matthew J.

Resistive memories enable dramatic energy reductions for neural algorithms. We propose a general purpose neural architecture that can accelerate many different algorithms and determine the device properties that will be needed to run backpropagation on the neural architecture. To maintain high accuracy, the read noise standard deviation should be less than 5% of the weight range. The write noise standard deviation should be less than 0.4% of the weight range and up to 300% of a characteristic update (for the datasets tested). Asymmetric nonlinearities in the change in conductance vs pulse cause weight decay and significantly reduce the accuracy, while moderate symmetric nonlinearities do not have an effect. In order to allow for parallel reads and writes the write current should be less than 100 nA as well.

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TYPE Conference Poster YEAR 2016

DOI OSTI Scopus

Resistive memory device requirements for a neural algorithm accelerator

Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks

Agarwal, Sapan A.; Plimpton, Steven J.; Hughart, David R.; Hsia, Alexander W.; Richter, Isaac R.; Cox, Jonathan A.; James, Conrad D.; Marinella, Matthew J.

Resistive memories enable dramatic energy reductions for neural algorithms. We propose a general purpose neural architecture that can accelerate many different algorithms and determine the device properties that will be needed to run backpropagation on the neural architecture. To maintain high accuracy, the read noise standard deviation should be less than 5% of the weight range. The write noise standard deviation should be less than 0.4% of the weight range and up to 300% of a characteristic update (for the datasets tested). Asymmetric nonlinearities in the change in conductance vs pulse cause weight decay and significantly reduce the accuracy, while moderate symmetric nonlinearities do not have an effect. In order to allow for parallel reads and writes the write current should be less than 100 nA as well.

More Details

TYPE Conference Poster YEAR 2016

DOI OSTI Scopus