Generate while Sensing - Intelligent Imaging with Memristive Pixel-CNN

Abstract

Gated Pixel Convolution Neural Network (Pix-eICNN) is a computationally intensive network that is useful for generating visual data. The prediction and generating pixels is a challenging but useful task for many fields such as forensics, machine vision and robotics. However, implementing PixeICNN in edge devices is a challenging task due to learning complexity and computational limits. In this paper, we present the design of neuro-memristive circuits for computing PixelCNN cells in analog domain as a coprocessor unit in edge devices. The architecture was designed using 180nm CMOS technology and carbon-chalcogenide memristive devices. On-chip area of the proposed architecture unit is 24.756mm2, while power depends on the size of the input image and the configuration of the overall network. The power required to generate the images sequentially is 154.336mW.