Neuromorphic adaptable ocular dominance maps

Abstract

Time staggered winner-take-all (ts-WTA) is a novel analog CMOS neuron cell [8], that computes 'sum of weighted inputs" implemented as floating gate pFET 'synapses'. The cell behavior exhibits competitive learning (WTA) so as to refine its weights in response to stimulation by input patterns staggered over time such that at the end of learning, the cell's response favors one input pattern over others to exhibit feature selectivity. In this paper we study the applicability of this cell to form feature specific clusters and show how an array of these cells when connected through an RC-network, interacts diffusively so as to form clusters similar to those observed in cortical ocular dominance maps. Adaptive feature maps is a mechanism by which nature optimize its resources so as to have greater acuity for more abundant features. Neuromorphic feature maps can help design generic machines that can emulate this adaptive behavior. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.