Topic: adjustable parameters

Florian Marquardt surveys approaches to reducing the energy and computational cost of neural networks by implementing their functions in physical devices. The central question is how experiments can efficiently determine updates to adjustable parameters, allowing the hardware itself to learn. Examples include learning through time reversal, obtaining nonlinear computation from linear optical scattering, and training analog quantum simulators as neuromorphic systems. The seminar is available in person and through the registration link on the organizer’s event page.

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) form the basis of most successful Deep Learning (DL) algorithms$^1$, which are capable of solving complex problems such as image recognition and natural language processing$^{2,3}$. However, unlike biological brains, which efficiently solve similar problems, DL algorithms require a large number of adjustable parameters, making them energy-intensive and susceptible to overfitting. In this study, a new ANN architecture is introduced that incorporates the structured connectivity and restricted sampling properties of biological dendrites, aiming to overcome these