Efficient and Explainable Machine Learning with In-Memory CAM-based Computing

Abstract

This project develops high performance in-memory computing systems based on content addressable memories (CAM). The proposed activities build off of prior work that exposed the potential to accelerate more explainable machine learning applications that includes a broad class of tree-based models (e.g., Decision Trees, Gradient-boosted Trees, Random Forests) and probabilistic techniques (e.g., Monte Carlo Sampling methods). The objective of the present work is to engineer the higher layers of the compute stack built atop these novel CAM designs with a target set of applications around explainable machine learning and probabilistic computing. The methods to achieve this include 1) developing an efficient and flexible architecture built around lower power non-volatile memory elements, 2) developing an instruction set architecture (ISA), 3) preliminary compiler and software tool-chain, 4) building a simulation and performance benchmarking environment, and 5) engineering the emulation tools. The research activities proposed here will facilitate increased access to this novel accelerator design by users, as well as improved quantitative benchmarking in latency, energy, throughput, and the accuracy of computations for target workloads.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Oct 07, 2021
Source ID
W911NF2110355

Entities

People

  • Catherine Graves

Organizations

  • Army Contracting Command
  • Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  • National Security Agency

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Neural Network Machine Learning.
  • Parallel and Distributed Computing.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - Neural Networks