NeuCASL: From Logic Design to System Simulation of Neuromorphic Engines

TL;DR

NeuCASL is an open-source Python framework that enables the design, simulation, and analysis of neuromorphic computing systems, bridging the gap from logic design to system performance evaluation.

Contribution

It introduces the first comprehensive CAD tool for neuromorphic systems, supporting logic design, circuit simulation, and system-level analysis.

Findings

First fully integrated neuromorphic CAD framework

Supports energy efficiency and reliability estimation

Facilitates rapid prototyping of neuromorphic architectures

Abstract

With Moore's law saturating and Dennard scaling hitting its wall, traditional Von Neuman systems cannot offer the GFlops/watt for compute-intensive algorithms such as CNN. Recent trends in unconventional computing approaches give us hope to design highly energy-efficient computing systems for such algorithms. Neuromorphic computing is a promising such approach with its brain-inspired circuitry, use of emerging technologies, and low-power nature. Researchers use a variety of novel technologies such as memristors, silicon photonics, FinFET, and carbon nanotubes to demonstrate a neuromorphic computer. However, a flexible CAD tool to start from neuromorphic logic design and go up to architectural simulation is yet to be demonstrated to support the rise of this promising paradigm. In this project, we aim to build NeuCASL, an opensource python-based full system CAD framework for neuromorphic logic design, circuit simulation, and system performance and reliability estimation. This is a first of its kind to the best of our knowledge.