arXiv:2605.14331eess.SPcs.AI2026-05

用无线射频直接计算神经网络,能耗降近百倍。

Analog RF Computing: A New Paradigm for Energy-Efficient Edge AI Over MU-MIMO Systems

论文配图:Analog RF Computing: A New Paradigm for Energy-Efficient Edge AI Over MU-MIMO Systems
图 1 · 摘自论文原文
  • 基站用射频波形编码权重,客户端通过混频完成矩阵乘法
  • 实测能耗比数字计算低近两个数量级,混合精度更省电
  • 适合对功耗敏感的边缘AI设备,如物联网终端

现代边缘设备依赖神经网络实现智能应用,但传统数字计算方式需大量内存与能耗。在模拟射频(RF)计算中,基站将神经网络权重编码为射频波形并广播,客户端利用被动混频器将接收到的权重编码波形与本地生成的输入编码波形相乘,从而在无线接收端完成占推理计算主体的矩阵-向量乘法(MVM),实现极低能耗。不同于以通信优化为主的传统下行传输,模拟射频计算需要以计算为中心的物理层设计,兼顾模拟MVM精度与推理能耗。本文提出一种面向多用户MIMO系统的模拟射频计算物理层设计框架,推导出可计算精度与能耗的可解析模型,构建联合基站波束成形与客户端缩放的优化问题,考虑计算精度、发射功率及硬件约束,并设计低复杂度算法求解非凸问题。所提方案支持客户端和层级别的精度控制,适用于统一与混合精度推理。3GPP规范下的仿真表明,模拟射频计算可使客户端能耗相比数字计算降低近两个数量级,且混合精度推理比统一精度更低能耗。结果确立了无线网络上的模拟射频计算作为高效边缘推理的有前景范式。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Modern edge devices increasingly rely on neural networks for intelligent applications. However, conventional digital computing-based edge inference requires substantial memory and energy consumption. In analog radio frequency (RF) computing, a base station (BS) encodes the weights of the neural networks and broadcasts the RF waveforms to the clients. Each client reuses its passive mixer to multiply the received weight-encoded waveform with a locally generated input-encoded waveform. This enables wireless receivers to perform the matrix-vector multiplications (MVMs) that account for most of the computation burden in edge inference with ultra-low energy consumption. Unlike conventional downlink transmissions which are optimized for communications, analog RF computing requires a computing-centric physical layer that controls both the analog MVM accuracy and the energy consumption for inference. Motivated by this, in this paper, we propose a physical layer design framework for analog RF computing in MU-MIMO wireless systems. We derive tractable models for computing accuracy and energy consumption for inference, formulate a joint BS beamforming and client-side scaling problem subject to computing accuracy, transmit power, and hardware constraints, and develop a low-complexity algorithm to solve the non-convex problem. The proposed design provides client- and layer-specific accuracy control for both uniform- and mixed-precision inference. Simulations under 3GPP specifications show that analog RF computing can significantly reduce client-side energy consumption by nearly two orders of magnitude compared to digital computing, while mixed-precision inference requires even lower energy consumption than uniform-precision inference. Overall, these results establish analog RF computing over wireless networks as a promising paradigm for energy-efficient edge inference.

边缘计算射频计算能效优化MIMO

Thank you to arXiv for use of its open access interoperability. PaperDance 不是 arXiv 官方产品;中文卡片由大模型生成,请以原文为准。