Sustainable Autonomy of Intelligent

Systems: Challenges and Perspectives

Abstract:
Cutting-edge autonomous systems demonstrate outstanding performance in
many important tasks requiring intelligent data processing under well-known
conditions, supported by massive computational resources and big data.
However, the performance of these systems may drastically deteriorate when
the data are perturbed, or the environment dynamically changes, either due to
natural effects or caused by manmade disturbances. The challenges are
especially daunting in edge computing scenarios and on-board applications
with limited resources, due to constraints on the available data, energy,
computational power, while critical decisions must be made rapidly, in a
robust way. A neuromorphic perspective provides crucial support under such
conditions. Human brains are efficient devices using 20W power (just like a
light bulb!), which is drastically less than the power consumption of today’s
supercomputers requiring MWs to solve specific learning tasks in an
innovative way. This is not sustainable. Brains use spatio-temporal oscillations
to implement pattern-based computing, going beyond the sequential symbol
manipulation paradigm of traditional Turing machines. Neuromorphic spiking
chips, including memristor technology, provide crucial support to the field.
Application examples include on-board signal processing, distributed sensor
systems, autonomous robot navigation and control, and rapid response to
emergencies.
Published in: 2021 IEEE International Conference on Autonomous Systems
(ICAS)
Date of Conference: 11-13 August 2021
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 06 October 2021
ISBN Information:
INSPEC Accession Number: 21201475
DOI: 10.1109/ICAS49788.2021.9551178
Publisher: IEEE
Conference Location: Montreal, QC, Canada