Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) for Versatile Applications (SNAVA) simulation platform is a scalable and programmable parallel architecture that supports real-time, large-scale, multi-model SNN computation. This parallel architecture is implemented in modern Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) devices to provide high performance execution and flexibility to support large-scale SNN models. Flexibility is defined in terms of programmability, which allows easy synapse and neuron implementation. This has been achieved by using a special-purpose Processing Elements (PEs) for computing SNNs, and analyzing and customizing the instruction set according to the processing needs to achieve maximum performance with minimum resources. The parallel architecture is interfaced with customized Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) to configure the SNN's connectivity, to compile the neuron-synapse model and to monitor SNN's activity. Our contribution intends to provide a tool that allows to prototype SNNs faster than on CPU/GPU architectures but significantly cheaper than fabricating a customized neuromorphic chip. This could be potentially valuable to the computational neuroscience and neuromorphic engineering communities.

A spiking-neuron-based system that combines analog and digital multi-processor implementations for the bio-inspired processing of sensors is reported. This combination allows creating a powerful bio-inspired multiple-input sensor processing system for environment perception applications. The analog front-end encodes the input signal in a signed spike representation, which is further processed by means of a digital Spiking Neural Network (SNN) on a Single-Instruction Multiple-Data (SIMD) multiprocessor. The spike distribution for both systems is based on Address-Event Representation (AER) scheme, asynchronous for the Analog Pre-Processor (APP) and synchronous for the Digital Multi-Processor (DMP), synchronized by means of an AER transceiver. A proof-of-concept application of the system being able to process sensory information has been demonstrated. The system utilizes 30-neurons emulated by the DMP to process spike-encoded information provided by its analog counterpart, enabling the feature extraction of the input signal. The frequency detection capability of the system is experimentally reported.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version