Threshold Modulation for Online Test-Time Adaptation of Spiking Neural Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces Threshold Modulation, a neuromorphic hardware-friendly method for online test-time adaptation of spiking neural networks to improve robustness against distribution shifts.

Contribution

It proposes a novel threshold modulation approach that dynamically adjusts neuron firing thresholds for better adaptation in SNNs on neuromorphic chips.

Findings

Enhances SNN robustness to distribution shifts

Maintains low computational cost during adaptation

Demonstrates effectiveness on benchmark datasets

Abstract

Recently, spiking neural networks (SNNs), deployed on neuromorphic chips, provide highly efficient solutions on edge devices in different scenarios. However, their ability to adapt to distribution shifts after deployment has become a crucial challenge. Online test-time adaptation (OTTA) offers a promising solution by enabling models to dynamically adjust to new data distributions without requiring source data or labeled target samples. Nevertheless, existing OTTA methods are largely designed for traditional artificial neural networks and are not well-suited for SNNs. To address this gap, we propose a low-power, neuromorphic chip-friendly online test-time adaptation framework, aiming to enhance model generalization under distribution shifts. The proposed approach is called Threshold Modulation (TM), which dynamically adjusts the firing threshold through neuronal dynamics-inspired normalization, being more compatible with neuromorphic hardware. Experimental results on benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in improving the robustness of SNNs against distribution shifts while maintaining low computational cost. The proposed method offers a practical solution for online test-time adaptation of SNNs, providing inspiration for the design of future neuromorphic chips. The demo code is available at github.com/NneurotransmitterR/TM-OTTA-SNN.