Leibin Ni

The transition towards exascale computing has resulted in major transformations in computing paradigms. The need to analyze and respond to such large amounts of data sets has led to the adoption of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods in a wide range of applications. One of the major challenges is the fetching of data from computing memory and writing it back without experiencing a memory-wall bottleneck. To address such concerns, in-memory computing (IMC) and supporting frameworks have been introduced. In-memory computing methods have ultra-low power and high-density embedded storage. Resistive Random-Access Memory (ReRAM) technology seems the most promising IMC solution due to its minimized leakage power, reduced power consumption and smaller hardware footprint, as well as its compatibility with CMOS technology, which is widely used in industry. In this book, the authors introduce ReRAM techniques for performing distributed computing using IMC accelerators, present ReRAM-based IMC architectures that can perform computations of ML and data-intensive applications, as well as strategies to map ML designs onto hardware accelerators. The book serves as a bridge between researchers in the computing domain (algorithm designers for ML and DL) and computing hardware designers.

Exa-scale computing needs to re-examine the existing hardware platform that can support intensive data-oriented computing. Since the main bottleneck is from memory, we aim to develop an energy-efficient in-memory computing platform in this book. First, the models of spin-transfer torque magnetic tunnel junction and racetrack memory are presented. Next, we show that the spintronics could be a candidate for future data-oriented computing for storage, logic, and interconnect. As a result, by utilizing spintronics, in-memory-based computing has been applied for data encryption and machine learning. The implementations of in-memory AES, Simon cipher, as well as interconnect are explained in details. In addition, in-memory-based machine learning and face recognition are also illustrated in this book.