A high bit resolution FPGA implementation of a FNN with a new algorithm for the activation function

Several implementations of Feedforward Neural Networks have been reported in scientific papers. These implementations do not allow the direct use of off-line trained networks. Usually, the problem is the lower precision (compared to the software used for training) or modifications in the activation function. In the present work, a hardware solution called Artificial Neural Network Processor, using a FPGA, fits the requirements for a direct implementation of Feedforward Neural Networks, because of the high precision and accurate activation function that were obtained. The resulting hardware solution is tested with data from a real system to confirm that it can correctly implement the models prepared off-line with MATLAB.

[1]  Alexandre Mota,et al.  Comparison between different Control Strategies using Neural Networks , 2001 .

[2]  M.A.A. Arroyo Leon,et al.  An artificial neural network on a field programmable gate array as a virtual sensor , 1999 .

[3]  Miroslav Skrbek,et al.  Fast Neural Network Implementation , 2006 .

[4]  Demessie Girma,et al.  Artificial Neural Network Implementation on a Fine-Grained FPGA , 1994, FPL.

[5]  Shawki Areibi,et al.  Feasibility of Floating-Point Arithmetic in FPGA based Artificial Neural Networks , 2002 .

[6]  Jihan Zhu,et al.  FPGA Implementations of Neural Networks - A Survey of a Decade of Progress , 2003, FPL.

[7]  Denis F. Wolf,et al.  USING EMBEDDED PROCESSORS IN HARDWARE MODELS OF ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS , 2001 .

[8]  A. Fernandez,et al.  Design of a pipelined hardware architecture for real-time neural network computations , 2002, The 2002 45th Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, 2002. MWSCAS-2002..

[9]  G.-P.K. Economou,et al.  FPGA implementation of artificial neural networks: an application on medical expert systems , 1994, Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Microelectronics for Neural Networks and Fuzzy Systems.

[10]  R. Lippmann,et al.  An introduction to computing with neural nets , 1987, IEEE ASSP Magazine.

[11]  Fernando Morgado Dias,et al.  Commercial hardware for artificial neural networks: a survey , 2003 .

[12]  Brad Hutchings,et al.  FPGA-based stochastic neural networks-implementation , 1994, Proceedings of IEEE Workshop on FPGA's for Custom Computing Machines.