Real-Time State Modulation and Acquisition Circuit in Neuromorphic Memristive Systems

TL;DR

This paper presents a dual-function circuit for memristive neuromorphic systems that enables real-time state modulation and acquisition, reducing delays and improving stability in emulating human perception.

Contribution

A novel circuit design that simultaneously modulates and acquires memristor states, enhancing real-time performance in neuromorphic applications.

Findings

Achieves mean absolute acquisition errors below 1 Ω in tests

Demonstrates stable operation in memristor-based nociceptor and crossbar

Operates effectively at different scales for various applications

Abstract

Memristive neuromorphic systems are designed to emulate human perception and cognition, where the memristor states represent essential historical information to perform both low-level and high-level tasks. However, current systems face challenges with the separation of state modulation and acquisition, leading to undesired time delays that impact real-time performance. To overcome this issue, we introduce a dual-function circuit that concurrently modulates and acquires memristor state information. This is achieved through two key features: 1) a feedback operational amplifier (op-amp) based circuit that ensures precise voltage application on the memristor while converting the passing current into a voltage signal; 2) a division calculation circuit that acquires state information from the modulation voltage and the converted voltage, improving stability by leveraging the intrinsic threshold characteristics of memristors. This circuit has been evaluated in a memristor-based nociceptor and a memristor crossbar, demonstrating exceptional performance. For instance, it achieves mean absolute acquisition errors below 1 {\Omega} during the modulation process in the nociceptor application. These results demonstrate that the proposed circuit can operate at different scales, holding the potential to enhance a wide range of neuromorphic applications.