Spike-based learning of transfer functions with the SpiNNaker neuromimetic simulator

Recent papers have shown the possibility to implement large scale neural network models that perform complex algorithms in a biologically realistic way. However, such models have been simulated on architectures unable to perform real-time simulations. In previous work we presented the possibility to simulate simple models in real-time on the SpiNNaker neuromimetic architecture. However, such models were “static”: the algorithm performed was defined at design-time. In this paper we present a novel learning rule, that exploits the peculiarities of the SpiNNaker system, enabling models designed with the Neural Engineering Framework (NEF) to learn transfer functions using a supervised framework. We show that the proposed learning rule, belonging to the Prescribed Error Sensitivity (PES) class, is able to learn, effectively, both linear and non-linear functions.