Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for identifying environmental stimuli in an artificial nervous system using both spiking onset and spike counting. One example method of operating an artificial nervous system generally includes receiving a stimulus; generating, at an artificial neuron, a spike train of two or more spikes based at least in part on the stimulus; identifying the stimulus based at least in part on an onset of the spike train; and checking the identified stimulus based at least in part on a rate of the spikes in the spike train. In this manner, certain aspects of the present disclosure may respond with short response latencies and may also maintain accuracy by allowing for error correction.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure support a method and apparatus for analog signal reconstruction and recognition via sub-threshold modulation. The analog waveform recognition in a sub-threshold region of an artificial neuron of the artificial nervous system can be performed by providing a predicted waveform in parallel to an input associated with the artificial neuron. The predicted waveform can be compared with the input and the signal can be generated based at least in part on the comparison.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for activity based plasticity in a spiking neuron network adapted to process sensory input. In one approach, the plasticity mechanism of a connection may comprise a causal potentiation portion and an anti-causal portion. The anti-causal portion, corresponding to the input into a neuron occurring after the neuron response, may be configured based on the prior activity of the neuron. When the neuron is in low activity state, the connection, when active, may be potentiated by a base amount. When the neuron activity increases due to another input, the efficacy of the connection, if active, may be reduced proportionally to the neuron activity. Such functionality may enable the network to maintain strong, albeit inactive, connections available for use for extended intervals.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for effecting modulation using global scalar values in a spiking neural network. One example method for operating an artificial nervous system generally includes determining one or more updated values for artificial neuromodulators to be used by a plurality of entities in a neuron model and providing the updated values to the plurality of entities.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing structural plasticity in an artificial nervous system. One example method for altering a structure of an artificial nervous system generally includes determining a synapse in the artificial nervous system for reassignment, determining a first artificial neuron and a second artificial neuron for connecting via the synapse, and reassigning the synapse to connect the first artificial neuron with the second artificial neuron. Another example method for operating an artificial nervous system, generally includes determining a synapse in the artificial nervous system for assignment; determining a first artificial neuron and a second artificial neuron for connecting via the synapse, wherein at least one of the synapse or the first and second artificial neurons are determined randomly or pseudo-randomly; and assigning the synapse to connect the first artificial neuron with the second artificial neuron.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure support techniques for neural pattern sequence completion and neural pattern hierarchical replay. At least a portion of a pattern can be invoked for replay upon referencing the pattern and learning relational aspects between elements of the pattern and the referencing of the pattern using hierarchical levels of neurons.

Abstract: A method for creating and maintaining short-term memory using short-term plasticity, includes changing a gain of a synapse based on pre synaptic spike activity without regard to postsynaptic spike activity. The method also includes calculating the gain based on a continuously updated synaptic state variable associated with the short-term plasticity.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for activity based plasticity in a spiking neuron network adapted to process sensory input. In one approach, the plasticity mechanism of a connection may comprise a causal potentiation portion and an anti-causal portion. The anti-causal portion, corresponding to the input into a neuron occurring after the neuron response, may be configured based on the prior activity of the neuron. When the neuron is in low activity state, the connection, when active, may be potentiated by a base amount. When the neuron activity increases due to another input, the efficacy of the connection, if active, may be reduced proportionally to the neuron activity. Such functionality may enable the network to maintain strong, albeit inactive, connections available for use for extended intervals.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure support techniques for neural component memory transfer. A pattern in a plurality of afferent neuron outputs can be first referenced with one or more referencing neurons. One or more first relational aspects can be matched, with one or more first relational aspect neurons, between the referenced pattern and an output of the one or more referencing neurons. The referenced pattern can be transferred to one or more transferee neurons by inducing the plurality of afferent neurons to output a pattern substantially the same as the referenced pattern by the one or more referencing neurons.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure support techniques for unsupervised neural component replay. A pattern in a plurality of afferent neuron outputs can be first referenced with one or more referencing neurons. One or more relational aspects can be matched, with one or more relational aspect neurons, between the pattern and an output of the one or more referencing neurons. One or more of the plurality of afferent neurons can be induced to output a pattern that is substantially the same as the referenced pattern by the one or more referencing neurons.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for creating tags (static or dynamic) for input/output classes of a neural network model using supervised learning. The method includes augmenting a neural network model with a plurality of neurons and training the augmented network using spike timing dependent plasticity (STDP) to determine one or more tags.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for neuro-simulation with a single two-dimensional device to track objects. The neuro-simulation may report a point of interest in an image that is provided by the device. The device may center on the point of interest using one or more actuators. The simulation mechanism may input pixels and output a plurality of angles to the actuators to adjust their direction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for implementing behavioral homeostasis in artificial neurons that use a dynamical spiking neuron model. The homeostatic mechanism may be driven by neuron state, rather than by neuron spiking rate, and this mechanism may drive changes to the neuron temporal dynamics, rather than to contributions of input or weights. As a result, certain aspects of the present disclosure are a more natural fit with spiking neural networks and have many functional and computational advantages. One example method for implementing homeostasis of an artificial nervous system generally includes determining one or more state variables of a neuron model used by an artificial neuron, based at least in part on dynamics of the neuron model; determining one or more conditions based at least in part on the state variables; and adjusting the dynamics based at least in part on the conditions.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for learning in response to temporally-proximate features. In one implementation, an image processing apparatus utilizes bi-modal spike timing dependent plasticity in a spiking neuron network. Based on a response by the neuron to a frame of input, the bi-modal plasticity mechanism is used to depress synaptic connections delivering the present input frame and to potentiate synaptic connections delivering previous and/or subsequent frames of input. The depression of near-contemporaneous input prevents the creation of a positive feedback loop and provides a mechanism for network response normalization.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure support a technique for neural temporal coding, learning and recognition. A method of neural coding of large or long spatial-temporal patterns is also proposed. Further, generalized neural coding and learning with temporal and rate coding is disclosed in the present disclosure.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure support a method and apparatus for analog signal reconstruction and recognition via sub-threshold modulation. The analog waveform recognition in a sub-threshold region of an artificial neuron of the artificial nervous system can be performed by providing a predicted waveform in parallel to an input associated with the artificial neuron. The predicted waveform can be compared with the input and the signal can be generated based at least in part on the comparison.

Abstract: A method for creating and maintaining short term memory using short term plasticity, includes changing a gain of a synapse based on presynaptic spike activity without regard to postsynaptic spike activity. The method also includes calculating the gain based on a continuously updated synaptic state variable associated with the short term plasticity.

Abstract: Values are synchronized across processing blocks in a neural network by encoding spikes in a first processing block with a value to be shared across the neural network. The spikes may be transmitted to a second processing block in the neural network via an interblock interface. The received spikes are decoded in the second processing block so as to generate a value that is synchronized with the value of the first processing block.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a technique for adaptive structural delay plasticity applied in spiking neural networks. With the proposed method of structural delay plasticity, the requirement of modeling multiple synapses with different delays can be avoided. In this case, far fewer potential synapses should be modeled for learning.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for identifying environmental stimuli in an artificial nervous system using both spiking onset and spike counting. One example method of operating an artificial nervous system generally includes receiving a stimulus; generating, at an artificial neuron, a spike train of two or more spikes based at least in part on the stimulus; identifying the stimulus based at least in part on an onset of the spike train; and checking the identified stimulus based at least in part on a rate of the spikes in the spike train. In this manner, certain aspects of the present disclosure may respond with short response latencies and may also maintain accuracy by allowing for error correction.