Applied Brain Research exhibits Intel's newest neuromorphic research chip at OCE Discovery 2018

Apr 28 2018

In a Canadian first, Applied Brain Research Inc. (ABR), and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) are pleased to announce that Intel's newest neuromorphic research chip, Loihi, will be demonstrated live at this year's Discovery conference. The brain-like chip will be running several real-time, online learning artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The award-winning Discovery conference takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre April 30 and May 1 in Toronto, Ontario. This is the first time the Intel Loihi chip has been demonstrated in Canada.

"OCE is looking forward to hosting ABR and Intel at Discovery 2018 as they demonstrate Loihi's capabilities," said Dr. Tom Corr, President and CEO of OCE. "Having supported ABR to improve their world-leading brain model Spaun through a Medical Sciences Proof-of-Principle (MSc PoP) grant, OCE is very pleased to see ABR has become a key partner with Intel in the launch of the neuromorphic computing era on the show floor this year."

ABR created a number of AI applications using Nengo, ABR's neuromorphic compiler, including a keyword speech recognition app and a neuromorphic robotic controller. The speech recognition network was trained using deep learning and then converted to a spiking neural network using ABR's neural network transfer methods. The robotic controller uses an online non-linear adaptive algorithm running on Intel's Loihi chip to control a Canadian Kinova Jaco2 arm. The Loihi controller allows the Jaco2 arm to accurately reach to an object detected using a deep learning vision system, even when the friction, weight, and other properties of the arm change unpredictably.

"Using Intel's Loihi chip, the ABR team was able to demonstrate a wide range of AI algorithms including online and offline learning using supervised, unsupervised and reinforcement learning, as well as inference and adaptive control. The combination of Intel's Loihi chip and ABR's Nengo framework begins to show the promise of neuromorphic computing for delivering real-time learning algorithms that enable low-power, high-performance AI computing," said Mike Davies, head of Intel's Neuromorphic Computing Program, Intel Labs.

"ABR is now working to enable the full range of Nengo tools and networks to run on Intel's Loihi platform and Intel's Altera FPGAs, to provide a complete neuromorphic development tool stack for dynamic AI applications and computational neuroscience research," said Chris Eliasmith, co-CEO and Chief Scientist of ABR.

Source: https://appliedbrainresearch.com/