Overview of Neuromorphic Optical Systems

After analyzing in Chap. 1 some of the most important features of the biological brain that underlie learning process and information storage, this Chapter provides a quick overview of optoelectronic and fully-optical neuromorphic techniques implemented to date. The operation and physical principles of each approach presented is described. These are grouped into three main categories called paradigms. Each neuromorphic paradigm is built on a main neural connotation. The first paradigm replicates neural excitability. The second paradigm focuses on the concept of connection between units. Finally, the third paradigm is an absolute novelty in the scientific panorama and encompasses only solitonic networks, which can replicate a tissue structure. The main difference from other neuromorphic hardware lies in their ability to self-organize according to the received stimuli, evolving accordingly over time.