Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) promise orders-of-magnitude lower power consumption and low-latency inference on neuromorphic hardware for a wide range of robotic tasks. In this work, we present an energy-efficient implementation of a reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm using quantized SNNs to solve two classical control tasks. The network is trained using the Q-learning algorithm, then fine-tuned and quantized to low-bit (8-bit) precision for embedded deployment on the SpiNNaker2 neuromorphic chip. To evaluate the comparative advantage of SpiNNaker2 over conventional computing platforms, we analyze inference latency, dynamic power consumption, and energy cost per inference for our SNN models, comparing performance against a GTX 1650 GPU baseline. Our results demonstrate SpiNNaker2's strong potential for scalable, low-energy neuromorphic computing, achieving up to 32x reduction in energy consumption. Inference latency remains on par with GPU-based execution, with improvements observed in certain task settings, reinforcing SpiNNaker2's viability for real-time neuromorphic control and making the neuromorphic approach a compelling direction for efficient deep Q-learning.

Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the human brain's neural architecture, is revolutionizing artificial intelligence and edge computing with its low-power, adaptive, and event-driven designs. However, these unique characteristics introduce novel cybersecurity risks. This paper proposes Neuromorphic Mimicry Attacks (NMAs), a groundbreaking class of threats that exploit the probabilistic and non-deterministic nature of neuromorphic chips to execute covert intrusions. By mimicking legitimate neural activity through techniques such as synaptic weight tampering and sensory input poisoning, NMAs evade traditional intrusion detection systems, posing risks to applications such as autonomous vehicles, smart medical implants, and IoT networks. This research develops a theoretical framework for NMAs, evaluates their impact using a simulated neuromorphic chip dataset, and proposes countermeasures, including neural-specific anomaly detection and secure synaptic learning protocols. The findings underscore the critical need for tailored cybersecurity measures to protect brain-inspired computing, offering a pioneering exploration of this emerging threat landscape.

--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 (OTT A) offers a promising solution by enabling models to dynamically adjust to new data distributions without requiring source data or labeled target samples. Nevertheless, existing OTT A methods are largely designed for traditional artificial neural networks and are not well-suited for SNNs. T o 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. In recent years, with the rapid development of high-performance hardware and training algorithms, modern deep artifical neural networks (ANNs) can have billions, or even hundreds of billions, of parameters, requiring large-scale computational resource for training and inference.

Achieving energy efficiency in learning is a key challenge for artificial intelligence (AI) computing platforms. Biological systems demonstrate remarkable abilities to learn complex skills quickly and efficiently. Inspired by this, we present a hardware implementation of model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) using spiking neural networks (SNNs) on mixed-signal analog/digital neuromorphic hardware. This approach leverages the energy efficiency of mixed-signal neuromorphic chips while achieving high sample efficiency through an alternation of online learning, referred to as the "awake" phase, and offline learning, known as the "dreaming" phase. The model proposed includes two symbiotic networks: an agent network that learns by combining real and simulated experiences, and a learned world model network that generates the simulated experiences. We validate the model by training the hardware implementation to play the Atari game Pong. We start from a baseline consisting of an agent network learning without a world model and dreaming, which successfully learns to play the game. By incorporating dreaming, the number of required real game experiences are reduced significantly compared to the baseline. The networks are implemented using a mixed-signal neuromorphic processor, with the readout layers trained using a computer in-the-loop, while the other layers remain fixed. These results pave the way toward energy-efficient neuromorphic learning systems capable of rapid learning in real world applications and use-cases.

In the rapid evolution of next-generation brain-inspired artificial intelligence and increasingly sophisticated electromagnetic environment, the most bionic characteristics and anti-interference performance of spiking neural networks show great potential in terms of computational speed, real-time information processing, and spatio-temporal information processing. Data processing. Spiking neural network is one of the cores of brain-like artificial intelligence, which realizes brain-like computing by simulating the structure and information transfer mode of biological neural networks. This paper summarizes the strengths, weaknesses and applicability of five neuronal models and analyzes the characteristics of five network topologies; then reviews the spiking neural network algorithms and summarizes the unsupervised learning algorithms based on synaptic plasticity rules and four types of supervised learning algorithms from the perspectives of unsupervised learning and supervised learning; finally focuses on the review of brain-like neuromorphic chips under research at home and abroad. This paper is intended to provide learning concepts and research orientations for the peers who are new to the research field of spiking neural networks through systematic summaries.

Israeli fabless semiconductor company Polyn has announced the availability of neuromorphic analog signal processing (NASP) models for Edge Impulse, a development platform for machine learning on edge devices. Edge impulse provides a way for developers to compare models and their performance, and Polyn is making its models available on the platform to enable such evaluations, CEO and founder Aleksandr Timofeev said in an interview with EE Times Europe. "Polyn is comfortable with this comparison, as it is confident in its promise of offering chips that consume 100 microwatts of power, and no other competitor offers the same," said Timofeev, adding that the company pays a licensing fee to make models available on Edge Impulse. Current ML implementation methods rely on digitizing the generated data and then running them through digital ML frameworks, a process that involves considerable computational power. Processing raw sensor data in analog form can lead to decreased power consumption and increased accuracy for all applications compared with traditional, digital algorithm-based computing, Timofeev said.

Autonomous Driving (AD) related features represent important elements for the next generation of mobile robots and autonomous vehicles focused on increasingly intelligent, autonomous, and interconnected systems. The applications involving the use of these features must provide, by definition, real-time decisions, and this property is key to avoid catastrophic accidents. Moreover, all the decision processes must require low power consumption, to increase the lifetime and autonomy of battery-driven systems. These challenges can be addressed through efficient implementations of Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) on Neuromorphic Chips and the use of event-based cameras instead of traditional frame-based cameras. In this paper, we present a new SNN-based approach, called LaneSNN, for detecting the lanes marked on the streets using the event-based camera input. We develop four novel SNN models characterized by low complexity and fast response, and train them using an offline supervised learning rule. Afterward, we implement and map the learned SNNs models onto the Intel Loihi Neuromorphic Research Chip. For the loss function, we develop a novel method based on the linear composition of Weighted binary Cross Entropy (WCE) and Mean Squared Error (MSE) measures. Our experimental results show a maximum Intersection over Union (IoU) measure of about 0.62 and very low power consumption of about 1 W. The best IoU is achieved with an SNN implementation that occupies only 36 neurocores on the Loihi processor while providing a low latency of less than 8 ms to recognize an image, thereby enabling real-time performance. The IoU measures provided by our networks are comparable with the state-of-the-art, but at a much low power consumption of 1 W.

Neuromorphic computing is a growing computer engineering approach that models and develops computing devices inspired by the human brain. Neuromorphic engineering focuses on using biology-inspired algorithms to design semiconductor chips that will behave similarly to a brain neuron and then work in this new architecture. Neuromorphic computing adds abilities to think creatively, recognize things they've never seen, and react accordingly to machines. Unlike AIs, the human brain is fascinating at understanding cause and effect and adapts to changes swiftly. However, even the slightest change in their environment renders AI models trained with traditional machine learning methods inoperable.

BrainChip, a neuromorphic computing IP vendor, and Edge Impulse, an embedded machine-learning (ML) development platform vendor, have partnered to address the growing demand for large-scale edge AI deployment. The collaboration aims to strengthen the training AI workloads and inference deployment of computer vision and natural-language processing models on the edge network. Customers will now be able to develop integrated hardware and software solutions, which will help accelerate the adoption of ML at the edge. The collaboration aims to deliver platforms to customers looking to develop products that utilize the companies' ML capabilities, partners said in a statement. This announcement will help enterprise edge-computing deployment at scale gain traction in a wide range of industries, including health care, automotive, and military and aerospace.

Neuromorphic chips have been endorsed in research showing that they are much more energy efficient at operating large deep learning networks than non-neuromorphic hardware. This may become important as AI adoption increases. The study was carried out by the Institute of Theoretical Computer Science at the Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in Austria using Intel's Loihi 2 silicon, a second-generation experimental neuromorphic chip announced by Intel Labs last year that has about a million artificial neurons. Their research paper, "A Long Short-Term Memory for AI Applications in Spike-based Neuromorphic Hardware," published in Nature Machine Intelligence, claims that the Intel chips are up to 16 times more energy efficient in deep learning tasks than performing the same task on non-neuromorphic hardware. The hardware tested consisted of 32 Loihi chips.