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A new computational paradigm is emerging for spatio-temporal problems: analogic CNN arraycomputing. The elementary instructions and programming techniques, however, are drastically different from any other computers. These elementary instructions represent complex, spatio-temporal, nonlinear, dynamic phenomena including all the standard and exotic properties of simple image processing operators as well as waves, patterns, and "evolving systems". Meanwhile, a computational infrastructure has also emerged [6] interfacing this revolutionary computing technology to digital systems as well as enabling the development of high-level software. The main goal was to provide easy-to-use tools and hardware interfacing elements, and to put most of the sophistication in the chips and chip sets.

Array computers can be useful in the solution of numerical spatio-temporal problems such as the state equation of the CNN or partial differential equations (PDE). IBM has recently introduced the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell BE) Architecture which contains 8 identical vector processors in an array structure. In the paper the implementation of CNN simulation kernel on the Cell BE is described. The simulation kernel is optimized, according to the special requirements of the Cell BE and can use linear and also nonlinear (piecewise linear) templates. The area/speed/power tradeoffs of our solution and different hardware implementations are also compared. I.

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