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Rapid online learning and robust recall in a neuromorphic olfactory circuit (arxiv.org)
1 point by wallflower on Mar 17, 2020 | hide | past | pdf | discuss on HN

In plain words: A brain-inspired circuit on a chip learns each smell from the timing of sensor spikes in a single exposure, then recognizes it later. It still identified odors reliably when strong interference scrambled the signals, and could keep learning new smells over time.

Abstract

We present a neural algorithm for the rapid online learning and identification of odorant samples under noise, based on the architecture of the mammalian olfactory bulb and implemented on the Intel Loihi neuromorphic system. As with biological olfaction, the spike timing-based algorithm utilizes distributed, event-driven computations and rapid (one-shot) online learning. Spike timing-dependent plasticity rules operate iteratively over sequential gamma-frequency packets to construct odor representations from the activity of chemosensor arrays mounted in a wind tunnel. Learned odorants then are reliably identified despite strong destructive interference. Noise resistance is further enhanced by neuromodulation and contextual priming. Lifelong learning capabilities are enabled by adult neurogenesis. The algorithm is applicable to any signal identification problem in which high-dimensional signals are embedded in unknown backgrounds.

Nabil Imam, Thomas A. Cleland
arXiv:1906.07067 · cs.NE, q-bio.NC · submitted Jun 17, 2019 · updated Jan 23, 2020
abstract · pdf · 52 text pages; 8 figures. Version 3 includes a new figure and additional details

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