A combined IEEE half and single precision floating point multipliers for deep learning
In deep learning, single precision floating point multipliers are widely used and the most power-hungry arithmetic operators. However, although multipliers are power intensive, they are necessary for applications that require multiplication. In this paper, we propose a novel combined IEEE half precision and single precision floating point multipliers for deep learning. Our design can be easily configured to run in the half precision mode for power saving or in the single precision mode for accuracy. Compared to conventional IEEE single precision multipliers, the combined multipliers require only a small amount of additional area and delay, while offer a significant reduction in power dissipation.
A Well-Equipped Implementation: Normal/Denormalized Half/Single/Double Precision IEEE 754 Floating-Point Adder/Subtracter
This paper shows the implementation and design of a completely IEEE 754-compliant floating-point adder and subtracter. This design focuses on maintaining low critical delay and power, while still containing hardware for full IEEE 754 compliance. A novel 64-bit prefix adder structure is used, where most of the performance benefits over a standard design come from parallelization. This adder and subtracter has full support for binary64, binary32, and binary16 operands. It also has the ability to convert integer values to the IEEE 754 standard. Integer conversion for binary64, binary32, and binary16 is supported, as well as conversion between any of the aforementioned IEEE 754 precisions. This design also has full support for denormalized operands. Synthesis results presented use a cmos32soi 32nm CMOS technology and ARM standard-cells.
The African cynodont Aleodon (Cynodontia, Probainognathia) in the Triassic of southern Brazil and its biostratigraphic significance
In this contribution we report the first occurrence of the enigmatic African probainognathian genus Aleodon in the Middle-early Late Triassic of several localities from the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. Aleodon is unusual among early probainognathians in having transversely-expanded postcanine teeth, similar to those of gomphodont cynognathians. This genus was previously known from the Manda Beds of Tanzania and the upper Omingonde Formation of Namibia. The Brazilian record of this genus is based upon multiple specimens representing different ontogenetic stages, including three that were previously referred to the sectorial-toothed probainognathian Chiniquodon theotonicus. We propose a new species of Aleodon (A. cromptoni sp. nov.) based on the specimens from Brazil. Additionally, we tentatively refer one specimen from the upper Omingonde Formation of Namibia to this new taxon, strengthening biostratigraphic correlations between these strata. Inclusion of A. cromptoni in a phylogenetic analysis of eucynodonts recovers it as the sister-taxon of A. brachyrhamphus within the family Chiniquodontidae. The discovery of numerous specimens of Aleodon among the supposedly monospecific Chiniquodon samples of Brazil raises concerns about chiniquodontid alpha taxonomy, particularly given the extremely broad geographic distribution of Chiniquodon. The discovery of Brazilian Aleodon and new records of the traversodontid Luangwa supports the hypothesis that at least two subzones can be recognized in the Dinodontosaurus Assemblage Zone.