On-chip learning of FPGA-inspired neural nets

Neural networks are usually considered as naturally parallel computing models. But the number of operators and the complex connection graphs of standard neural models can not be handled by digital hardware devices. A new theoretical and practical framework allows to reconcile simple hardware topologies with complex neural architectures: field programmable neural arrays (FPNA) lead to powerful neural architectures that are easy to map onto digital hardware, thanks to a simplified topology and an original data exchange scheme. The paper focuses on a class of synchronous FPNAs, for which an efficient implementation with on-chip learning is described. Application and implementation results are discussed.