A neuromime in VLSI

Author

Wolpert, Seth ; Micheli-Tzanakou, Evangelia

Author_Institution

Sch. of Sci., Eng. & Technol., Pennsylvania State Univ., Middletown, PA, USA

Volume

7

Issue

2

fYear

1996

fDate

3/1/1996 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

300

Lastpage

306

Abstract

Using conventional very large scale integration (VLSI) technology, a flexible and comprehensive neuromime circuit has been implemented in silicon for the purpose of modeling nerve networks from living organisms. Based on the “integrate-and-fire” model of neuronal threshold, the circuit was fabricated in two-micron CMOS with double-level metal. It occupies 0.6 square millimeters of die area, and requires only a few passive biasing components off-chip. The neuromime circuit offers many continuously variable parameters, including excitatory and inhibitory sensitivity and persistence, refractory duration and strength, and overall speed of operation. The circuit offers free and continuous access to waveforms for presynaptic membrane potential, postsynaptic membrane potential, and threshold potential. As such, it is amenable to many secondary behavioral characteristics, such as postinhibitory rebound, fatigue, facilitation, and accommodation. Being power-efficient, compact, and noise immune, it is ideal for assembly into networks and interfacing to biological counterparts

Keywords

CMOS analogue integrated circuits; VLSI; neural chips; 2 micron; CMOS; VLSI; excitatory sensitivity; inhibitory sensitivity; neural chips; neuromime; passive biasing; postsynaptic membrane potential; presynaptic membrane potential; threshold potential; Biomembranes; CMOS technology; Circuit noise; Fatigue; Flexible printed circuits; Immune system; Organisms; Semiconductor device modeling; Silicon; Very large scale integration;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Neural Networks, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1045-9227

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/72.485633

Filename

485633