# lpSpikeCon: Enabling Low-Precision Spiking Neural Network Processing for Efficient Unsupervised Continual Learning on Autonomous Agents

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2205.12295 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2205.12295/

## Key facts

- Cited by 18 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 21 of its 33 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 24 May 2022.

## Builds on (most cited first, 21 of 21)

- [Continual Lifelong Learning with Neural Networks: A Review](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1802.07569/) (2018)
- [Quantizing deep convolutional networks for efficient inference: A whitepaper](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1806.08342/) (2018)
- [Deep Learning with Limited Numerical Precision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1502.02551/) (2015)
- [Deep Learning in Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.08150/) (2018)
- [BindsNET: A machine learning-oriented spiking neural networks library in Python](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1806.01423/) (2018)
- [Q-SpiNN: A Framework for Quantizing Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2107.01807/) (2021)
- [Fast and Efficient Information Transmission with Burst Spikes in Deep Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1809.03142/) (2018)
- [SpikeDyn: A Framework for Energy-Efficient Spiking Neural Networks with Continual and Unsupervised Learning Capabilities in Dynamic Environments](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2103.00424/) (2021)
- [SparkXD: A Framework for Resilient and Energy-Efficient Spiking Neural Network Inference using Approximate DRAM](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2103.00421/) (2021)
- [ReSpawn: Energy-Efficient Fault-Tolerance for Spiking Neural Networks considering Unreliable Memories](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.10271/) (2021)
- [SoftSNN: Low-Cost Fault Tolerance for Spiking Neural Network Accelerators under Soft Errors](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.05523/) (2022)
- [Towards Energy-Efficient and Secure Edge AI: A Cross-Layer Framework](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.09829/) (2021)
- [ASP: Learning to Forget with Adaptive Synaptic Plasticity in Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1703.07655/) (2017)
- [Controlled Forgetting: Targeted Stimulation and Dopaminergic Plasticity Modulation for Unsupervised Lifelong Learning in Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1902.03187/) (2019)
- [Unsupervised Learning with Self-Organizing Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1807.09374/) (2018)
- [ROMANet: Fine-Grained Reuse-Driven Off-Chip Memory Access Management and Data Organization for Deep Neural Network Accelerators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1902.10222/) (2019)
- [DRMap: A Generic DRAM Data Mapping Policy for Energy-Efficient Processing of Convolutional Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2004.10341/) (2020)
- [Stochastic rounding and reduced-precision fixed-point arithmetic for solving neural ordinary differential equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1904.11263/) (2019)
- [Locally Connected Spiking Neural Networks for Unsupervised Feature Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1904.06269/) (2019)
- [STDP Learning of Image Patches with Convolutional Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1808.08173/) (2018)
- [Lattice Map Spiking Neural Networks (LM-SNNs) for Clustering and Classifying Image Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1906.11826/) (2019)

## Built on by (most cited first, 18 of 18)

- [TopSpark: A Timestep Optimization Methodology for Energy-Efficient Spiking Neural Networks on Autonomous Mobile Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.01826/) (2023)
- [Bayesian Continual Learning via Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.13723/) (2022)
- [SpikeNAS: A Fast Memory-Aware Neural Architecture Search Framework for Spiking Neural Network-based Embedded AI Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.11322/) (2024)
- [Continual Learning with Neuromorphic Computing: Foundations, Methods, and Emerging Applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.09218/) (2024)
- [Embodied Neuromorphic Artificial Intelligence for Robotics: Perspectives, Challenges, and Research Development Stack](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.03325/) (2024)
- [EnforceSNN: Enabling Resilient and Energy-Efficient Spiking Neural Network Inference considering Approximate DRAMs for Embedded Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.04039/) (2023)
- [RescueSNN: Enabling Reliable Executions on Spiking Neural Network Accelerators under Permanent Faults](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.04041/) (2023)
- [Mantis: Enabling Energy-Efficient Autonomous Mobile Agents with Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2212.12620/) (2022)
- [A Methodology to Study the Impact of Spiking Neural Network Parameters considering Event-Based Automotive Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.03493/) (2024)
- [SNN4Agents: A Framework for Developing Energy-Efficient Embodied Spiking Neural Networks for Autonomous Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.09331/) (2024)
- [Enabling Efficient Processing of Spiking Neural Networks with On-Chip Learning on Commodity Neuromorphic Processors for Edge AI Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.00957/) (2025)
- [tinySNN: Towards Memory- and Energy-Efficient Spiking Neural Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.08656/) (2022)
- [Replay4NCL: An Efficient Memory Replay-based Methodology for Neuromorphic Continual Learning in Embedded AI Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.17061/) (2025)
- [FastSpiker: Enabling Fast Training for Spiking Neural Networks on Event-based Data through Learning Rate Enhancements for Autonomous Embedded Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.05262/) (2024)
- [Enabling Energy-Efficient Simultaneous Multi-Task Reinforcement Learning through Spiking Neural Networks with Active Dendrites for Bio-inspired Generalist Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.04847/) (2024)
- [Scalable Multi-Task Learning through Spiking Neural Networks with Adaptive Task-Switching Policy for Intelligent Autonomous Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.13541/) (2025)
- [Neuromorphic Computing for Embodied Intelligence in Autonomous Systems: Current Trends, Challenges, and Future Directions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.18139/) (2025)
- [SpikeVox: Towards Energy-Efficient Speech Therapy Framework with Spike-driven Generative Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.15566/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Recent advances have shown that SNN-based systems can efficiently perform unsupervised continual learning due to their bio-plausible learning rule, e.g., Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP). Such learning capabilities are especially beneficial for use cases like autonomous agents (e.g., robots and UAVs) that need to continuously adapt to dynamically changing scenarios/environments, where new data gathered directly from the environment may have novel features that should be learned online. Current state-of-the-art works employ high-precision weights (i.e., 32 bit) for both training and inference phases, which pose high memory and energy costs thereby hindering efficient embedded implementations of such systems for battery-driven mobile autonomous systems. On the other hand, precision reduction may jeopardize the quality of unsupervised continual learning due to information loss. Towards this, we propose lpSpikeCon, a novel methodology to enable low-precision SNN processing for efficient unsupervised continual learning on resource-constrained autonomous agents/systems. Our lpSpikeCon methodology employs the following key steps: (1) analyzing the impacts of training the SNN model under unsupervised continual learning settings with reduced weight precision on the inference accuracy; (2) leveraging this study to identify SNN parameters that have a significant impact on the inference accuracy; and (3) developing an algorithm for searching the respective SNN parameter values that improve the quality of unsupervised continual learning. The experimental results show that our lpSpikeCon can reduce weight memory of the SNN model by 8x (i.e., by judiciously employing 4-bit weights) for performing online training with unsupervised continual learning and achieve no accuracy loss in the inference phase, as compared to the baseline model with 32-bit weights across different network sizes.