Other

University of California

Tamas Roska

Leon O Chua

Frank S Werblin

The main design components underlying the implementation of physiologically faithful retina and other topographic sensory organ models on Cellular Neural Network (CNN) universal chips is discussed. If the various retinas are implemented on a CNN universal chip, in a programmable way, it can be called a 'CNN bionic eye', a device capable of performing a broad range of image processing functions similar to those performed by biological retinas. The CNN universal machine has the special properties that it is 1) programmable and 2) includes local memory. Programming is stored in analog and logical form (the analogic program) generated by an analogic programming and control unit, so the functions of the CNN universal machine can be modified as a function of complex internal and external constraints. Further, several CNN bionic eyes and other topographic sensory modalities can be combined on a single CNN universal chip, and, for more complex sensory tasks, the necessary physical microsensors to provide the input signals can be implemented on the chip, in most instances.

CNN programamble topographic sensory device

This invention has 3 parts. Part 1 proposes a new CNN universal chip architecture with analog stored programs and time-multiplex templates. This breakthrough replaces hundreds of dedicated CNN chips with a single programmable, real-time VLSI chip with comparable significance to the invention of the microprocessor which gave birth to the personal computer industry. Part 2 proposes a unique wireless non-optical method for outputting information from the CNN analog array via electromagnetic waves generated by nonlinear oscillations and chaos. Part 3 combines a set of analog, or digitally emulated, CNN universal chips to design a CNN array supercomputer capable of solving nonlinear partial differential equations (e.g., wave type, Navier-Stokes-type, etc.) at a fraction of the time or cost required by current digital supercomputers. Indeed, 'programmable physics' or 'programmable bionics' can be implemented.

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Budapest, Hungary

Tamas Roska