An FPGA-based multiple-weight-and-neuron-fault tolerant digital multilayer perceptron

A digital multilayer perceptron (DMLP) which is tolerant to simultaneous weight and neuron faults is implemented in an FPGA, where the weight faults are assumed to be between the hidden and output layers and the neuron faults are assumed to be in the hidden and output layers. In the implementation, a multilayer perceptron (MLP) trained by the deep learning method 111 is used to cope with the weight faults and the neuron faults in the hidden layer, and an error detecting and correcting code SECDED is used to cope with the neuron faults in the output layer. The implementation process named "FTDMLP-gene" is proposed which consists of three parts; the deep learning method, the VHDL source file generator and the outline of VHDL notation which describes an FTDMLP (fault-tolerant DMLP). The fault-tolerant ability of the FTDMLP implemented is shown. Further, The FTDMLP and the corresponding non-fault tolerant DMLP are compared in terms of hardware size, computing speed and electricity consumption. This paper is the extension of [2,3]. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.