Embedded Systems

Efficient Machine Learning in Hardware

Lecturer Oliver Bringmann
HeadOliver Bringmann
Lecture 21.04.2022-28.07.2022
Donnerstag 12ct-14
Instructors Alexander Jung
ResearcherAlexander Jung
Adrian Frischknecht
AlumniAdrian Frischknecht
Christoph Gerum
ResearcherChristoph Gerum
Evgenia Rusak
ResearcherEvgenia Rusak
Konstantin Lübeck
ResearcherKonstantin Lübeck
Paul Palomero Bernardo
ResearcherPaul Palomero Bernardo
Simon Garhofer
ResearcherSimon Garhofer
Moritz Reiber
ResearcherMoritz Reiber
Amount 2 SWS / 3 LP
Type of course Lecture (3 LP)
Course ID ML4420
Entry in course catalog Alma
Learning Platform Ilias

Topic

The recent breakthroughs in using deep neural networks for a large variety of machine learning applications have been strongly influenced by the availability of high performance computing platforms. In contrast to its biological origin, however, high performance of artificial neural networks critically relies on much higher energy demands. While the average energy consumption of the entire human brain is comparable to that of a Laptop computer (i.e. 20W), artificial intelligence often resorts to large HPCs with several orders of magnitude higher energy demand. This lecture will discuss this problem and show solution how to build energy and resource efficient architectures for machine learning in hardware. In this context, the following topics will be addressed:

  • Hardware architectures for machine learning: GPUs, FPGAs, overlay architectures, SIMD architectures, domain-specific architectures, custom accelerators, in/near memory computing, architectures for training vs. architectures for inference
  • Energy-efficient machine learning
  • Optimized mapping of deep neural networks to hardware and pipelining techniques
  • Word length optimization (binary, ternary, integer, floating point)
  • Scalable application specific architectures
  • New switching devices to implement neural networks (Memristors, PCM)
  • Neuromorphic computing

Students gain in-depth knowledge about the challenges associated with energy-efficient machine learning hardware and respective state-of-the-art solutions. Different hardware architectures will be compared regarding the trade-off between their energy consumption, complexity, computational speed and the specificity of their applicability.

The main goals of the course are learning what kinds of hardware architectures are used for machine learning, understanding the reasons why a particular architecture is suitable for a particular application and how to efficiently implement machine learning algorithms in hardware.

Literature

  • Sze, Vivienne, et al. “Efficient processing of deep neural networks.” Synthesis Lectures on Computer Architecture 15.2 (2020): 1-341.