Adaptive map alignment in the superior colliculus of the barn owl: a neuromorphic implementation

Abstract

Adaptation is one of the basic phenomena of biology, while adaptability is an important feature for neural network. Young barn owl can well adapt its visual and auditory integration to the environmental change, such as prism wearing. At first, a mathematical model is introduced by the related study in biological experiment. The model well explained the mechanism of the sensory map realignment through axongenesis and synaptogenesis. Simulation results of this model are consistent with the biological data. Thereafter, to test the model’s application in hardware, the model is implemented into a robot. Visual and auditory signals are acquired by the sensors of the robot and transferred back to PC through bluetooth. Results of the robot experiment are presented, which shows the SC model allowing the robot to adjust visual and auditory integration to counteract the effects of a prism. Finally, based on the model, a silicon Superior Colliculus is designed in VLSI circuit and fabricated. Performance of the fabricated chip has shown the synaptogenesis and axogenesis can be emulated in VLSI circuit. The circuit of neural model provides a new method to update signals and reconfigure the switch network (the chip has an automatic reconfigurable network which is used to correct the disparity between signals). The chip is also the first Superior Colliculus VLSI circuit to emulate the sensory map realignment.