Neuromorphic Circuits With Spiking Astrocytes for Increased Energy Efficiency, Fault Tolerance, and Memory Capacitance


Yunusoglu A., Le D., Isik M., Dikmen I. C., KARADAĞ T.

4th IEEE International Conference on Computing and Machine Intelligence, ICMI 2025, Michigan, United States Of America, 5 - 06 April 2025, (Full Text) identifier

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • Doi Number: 10.1109/icmi65310.2025.11141332
  • City: Michigan
  • Country: United States Of America
  • Keywords: Astrocyte, Fault tolerance, Hardware, Neural Systems, Neuromorphic Computing
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In the rapidly advancing field of neuromorphic computing, integrating biologically-inspired models like the Leaky Integrate-and-Fire Astrocyte (LIFA) into spiking neural networks (SNNs) enhances system robustness and performance. This paper introduces the LIFA model in SNNs, addressing energy efficiency, memory management, routing mechanisms, and fault tolerance. Our core architecture consists of neurons, synapses, and astrocyte circuits, with each astrocyte supporting multiple neurons for self-repair. This clustered model improves fault tolerance and operational efficiency, especially under adverse conditions. We developed a routing methodology to map the LIFA model onto a fault-tolerant, many-core design, optimizing network functionality and efficiency. Our model features a fault tolerance rate of 81.10% and a resilience improvement rate of 18.90%, significantly surpassing other implementations. The results validate our approach in memory management, highlighting its potential as a robust solution for advanced neuromorphic computing applications. The integration of astrocytes represents a significant advancement, setting the stage for more resilient and adaptable neuromorphic systems.