Multi-objective optimization of analog circuits is hindered by high-dimensional parameter spaces, strong feedback couplings, and expensive transistor-level simulations. Evolutionary algorithms such as Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) are widely used but treat all parameters equally, thereby wasting effort on variables with little impact on performance, which limits their scalability. We introduce CaDRO, a causal-guided dimensionality reduction framework that embeds causal discovery into the optimization pipeline. CaDRO builds a quantitative causal map through a hybrid observational-interventional process, ranking parameters by their causal effect on the objectives. Low-impact parameters are fixed to values from high-quality solutions, while critical drivers remain active in the search. The reduced design space enables focused evolutionary optimization without modifying the underlying algorithm. Across amplifiers, regulators, and RF circuits, CaDRO converges up to 10× faster than NSGA-II while preserving or improving Pareto quality. For instance, on the Folded-Cascode Amplifier, hypervolume improves from 0.56 to 0.94, and on the LDO regulator from 0.65 to 0.81, with large gains in non-dominated solutions.

Autonomous edge computing in robotics, smart cities, and autonomous vehicles relies on the seamless integration of sensing, processing, and actuation for real-time decision-making in dynamic environments. At its core is the sensing-to-action loop, which iteratively aligns sensor inputs with computational models to drive adaptive control strategies. These loops can adapt to hyper-local conditions, enhancing resource efficiency and responsiveness, but also face challenges such as resource constraints, synchronization delays in multimodal data fusion, and the risk of cascading errors in feedback loops. This article explores how proactive, context-aware sensing-to-action and action-to-sensing adaptations can enhance efficiency by dynamically adjusting sensing and computation based on task demands, such as sensing a very limited part of the environment and predicting the rest. By guiding sensing through control actions, action-to-sensing pathways can improve task relevance and resource use, but they also require robust monitoring to prevent cascading errors and maintain reliability. Multi-agent sensing-action loops further extend these capabilities through coordinated sensing and actions across distributed agents, optimizing resource use via collaboration. Additionally, neuromorphic computing, inspired by biological systems, provides an efficient framework for spike-based, event-driven processing that conserves energy, reduces latency, and supports hierarchical control-making it ideal for multi-agent optimization. This article highlights the importance of end-to-end co-design strategies that align algorithmic models with hardware and environmental dynamics, improve cross-layer inter-dependencies to improve throughput, precision, and adaptability for energy-efficient edge autonomy in complex environments.

Compute-in-Memory (CiM) architectures, particularly those leveraging SRAM-based arrays, present significant opportunities for accelerating deep learning by mitigating data movement bottlenecks in traditional von Neumann systems. SRAM-based CiM offers notable advantages, including speed, seamless CMOS integration, and compatibility with existing System-on-Chip (SoC) designs. However, challenges persist, primarily stemming from analog-domain computations that necessitate analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) conversions, leading to reduced accuracy, increased power overhead, and rigid operational constraints. To overcome these limitations, we propose MOSAIC, a novel CiM architecture designed around three foundational principles: (1) co-designing deep learning operators for CiM such as employing multiplication-free computations and frequency-domain processing to minimize/eliminate DAC/ADC overheads; (2) leveraging a memory-immersed digitization approach that utilizes parasitic bit-lines as capacitive DACs within CiM arrays, thereby significantly reducing peripheral complexity and enhancing scalability; and (3) orchestrating inference over a network of compact CiM µArrays by dynamically interconnecting them to provide flexibility, efficiency, and minimized computational overhead for varied inference workload characteristics. Collectively with these fundamental innovations, MOSAIC addresses critical bottlenecks in accuracy, scalability, and flexibility, unlocking CiM’s full potential for efficient deep learning in embedded systems.

This paper introduces a lightweight framework for quantifying uncertainty in deep learning models deployed at the edge, addressing the challenge of making reliable predictions under computational constraints. By integrating conformal inference and evidential learning into a novel approach called Conformalized Evidential Quantile Regression (CEQR), it offers a practical solution for models to assess and communicate their confidence in predictions. The method efficiently distinguishes between aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties, ensuring statistical robustness and real-time applicability on resource-limited devices. This work paves the way for safer, more reliable AI applications in critical areas by enabling models to recognize when they don't know.

This paper addresses the challenging problem of energy-efficient and uncertainty-aware pose estimation in insect-scale drones, which is crucial for tasks such as surveillance in constricted spaces and for enabling non-intrusive spatial intelligence in smart homes. Since tiny drones operate in highly dynamic environments, where factors like lighting and human movement impact their predictive accuracy, it is crucial to deploy uncertainty-aware prediction algorithms that can account for environmental variations and express not only the prediction but also confidence in the prediction. We address both of these challenges with Compute-in-Memory (CIM) which has become a pivotal technology for deep learning acceleration at the edge. While traditional CIM techniques are promising for energy-efficient deep learning, to bring in the robustness of uncertainty-aware predictions at the edge, we introduce a suite of novel techniques: First, we discuss CIM-based acceleration of Bayesian filtering methods uniquely by leveraging the Gaussian-like switching current of CMOS inverters along with co-design of kernel functions to operate with extreme parallelism and with extreme energy efficiency. Secondly, we discuss the CIM-based acceleration of variational inference of deep learning models through probabilistic processing while unfolding iterative computations of the method with a compute reuse strategy to significantly minimize the workload. Overall, our co-design methodologies demonstrate the potential of CIM to improve the processing efficiency of uncertainty-aware algorithms by orders of magnitude, thereby enabling edge robotics to access the robustness of sophisticated prediction frameworks within their extremely stringent area/power resources.