Intel Innovation 2023: Neuromorphic Optimization with Intel Loihi 2

Open

Intel presents Neuromorphic Optimization with Intel Loihi 2, an interactive application illustrating the potential for neuromorphic processors to solve difficult problems at scale – and with up to 1000x greater efficiency than current solutions.

Summary:

This demo centers on a key challenge for the space technology industry: scheduling a large number of Earth observation requests to a constellation of satellites. The problem can become impossible to solve at large scales because we have a finite amount of time to apply an algorithm that slows down proportional to the number of satellites and the square of the number of requests. For commercial satellite companies with dozens of vehicles and thousands of customer requests, current algorithms will not find the best solution in time.

NCL has released a new software library, Lava Optimization, which includes tools and models for solving NP-Hard computational problems like the satellite scheduling problem. Using Lava Optimization, we can map the satellite problem to a neuromorphic solver called QUBO that runs on Intel Loihi 2. The solver uses brain-inspired principles of parallel computation to consider far more potential schedules in less time and using less energy. This will enable larger satellite constellations to serve more customers than is possible today.

The neuromorphic solver can also be applied to find optimal solutions to a wide range of NP-Hard problems across many industries, such as routing a fleet of delivery vehicles through real-time traffic, dynamically assigning tasks to systems in a data center, and selecting the perfect portfolio in rapidly changing market conditions.

More Info:

• Overview on Intel Loihi 2 and Lava (Fall 2022 INRC Workshop)

• Eddy, D, and Kochenderfer, MJ (Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 2022)

• Rainjonneau, S, et al. (arxiv.org, preprint)