Neuromorphic auditory classification based on a single dynamical electrochemical memristor

Abstract

Designing compact computing hardware and systems is highly desired for resource-restricted edge computing applications. Utilizing the rich dynamics in a physical device for computing is a unique approach in creating complex functionalities with miniaturized footprint. In this work, we developed a dynamical electrochemical memristor from a static memristor by replacing the gate material. The dynamical device possessed short-term fading dynamics and exhibited distinct frequency-dependent responses to varying input signals, enabling its use as a single device-based frequency classifier. Simulation showed that the device responses to different frequency components in a mixed-frequency signal were additive with nonlinear attenuation at higher frequency, providing a guideline in designing the system to process complex signals. We used a rate-coding scheme to convert real world auditory recordings into fixed amplitude spike trains to decouple amplitude-based information and frequency-based information and was able to demonstrate auditory classification of different animals. The work provides a new building block for temporal information processing.