SHF: Small: Native Stochastic Computing Based on Memristors

本研究的目的是创建一种新的随机计算范式，以获得新兴忆阻器器件的全部优势，用于下一代能源限制和高性能应用。该计算范式利用了本地随机计算的不确定性忆阻器，其中随机计算所需的随机性将是系统固有的，而无需诉诸昂贵的随机数字生成。本机随机计算系统由忆阻存储器和随机计算元件无缝集成而成。为了验证该方法的有效性，采用记忆阻存储器和随机计算电路混合集成的方法制造了包括随机计算器和集群处理器在内的测试车辆。基于忆阻器的本地随机计算在能量和速度方面比竞争对手的CMOS基线具有关键优势，并且最适合计算密集型，数据密集型和概率应用。本研究的跨学科性质鼓励器件和计算机硬件研究领域的紧密结合，并为学生提供尖端纳米电子学，集成电路设计和计算机体系结构方面的优秀培训。该研究项目的毕业生拥有工业界和学术界急需的技能。该研究以更新本科课程和研究生课程专题的形式为本科和研究生课程做出了贡献。研究成果以及两辆测试车将通过专业研讨会、讲习班和高中推广计划的一部分进行传播。强调本科生和少数族裔的指导有助于在本研究项目的过程中吸引广泛和多样化的参与。

The objective of this research is to create a new stochastic computing paradigm to reap the full benefits of emerging memristor devices for the next generation of energy-limited and high-performance applications. The computing paradigm takes advantage of the nondeterministic memristors for native stochastic computing, where the randomness required by stochastic computing will be intrinsic to the system without resorting to expensive stochastic number generation. The native stochastic computing system consists of memristor memory and stochastic computing elements that are seamlessly integrated. To evaluate the approach, test vehicles including a stochastic calculator and a clustering processor are created by the hybrid integration of memristor memory and stochastic computing circuits. The native stochastic computing based on memristors demonstrates key advantages in energy and speed over a competitive CMOS baseline, and is best positioned for compute-intensive, data-intensive and probabilistic applications.The interdisciplinary nature of this research encourages a tight integration of device and computer hardware research areas and provides excellent training to students in cutting-edge nanoelectronics, integrated circuit design, and computer architecture. The graduates of this research program possess skill sets of critical need in both industry and academia. The research contributes to the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, in the forms of updated undergraduate courses and special topics offered in graduate courses. The research outcomes, along with two test vehicles, are disseminated through professional seminars, workshops, and as part of high school outreach programs. An emphasis on undergraduate and minority mentoring helps draw a broad and diverse participation over the course of this research project.