# ASP Vision: Optically Computing the First Layer of Convolutional Neural Networks using Angle Sensitive Pixels

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1605.03621 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1605.03621/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 11 May 2016.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Quantum-limited stochastic optical neural networks operating at a few quanta per activation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2307.15712/) (2023)
- [Minimalist Vision with Freeform Pixels](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.00142/) (2024)
- [A Construction Kit for Efficient Low Power Neural Network Accelerator Designs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.12810/) (2021)
- [Metasurface-generated large and arbitrary analog convolution kernels for accelerated machine vision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.18614/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Deep learning using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) is quickly becoming the state-of-the-art for challenging computer vision applications. However, deep learning's power consumption and bandwidth requirements currently limit its application in embedded and mobile systems with tight energy budgets. In this paper, we explore the energy savings of optically computing the first layer of CNNs. To do so, we utilize bio-inspired Angle Sensitive Pixels (ASPs), custom CMOS diffractive image sensors which act similar to Gabor filter banks in the V1 layer of the human visual cortex. ASPs replace both image sensing and the first layer of a conventional CNN by directly performing optical edge filtering, saving sensing energy, data bandwidth, and CNN FLOPS to compute. Our experimental results (both on synthetic data and a hardware prototype) for a variety of vision tasks such as digit recognition, object recognition, and face identification demonstrate using ASPs while achieving similar performance compared to traditional deep learning pipelines.