Introduction

This chapter provides a general introduction to the research topics and research questions that will be addressed in this book. First, the fundamental background theory on Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) is introduced. Then, the chapter reviews a number of emerging application domains and technological paradigms that will be covered in the next chapters of this book, namely the use of SNNs and neuromorphic technologies for drone navigation and the use of SNNs equipped with STDP learning for continual online learning on nonstationary streams of data that cannot be assumed independent and identically distributed (non-i.i.d.). Finally, this introductory chapter covers the various research questions tackled in this book toward the conception of continual-learning SNN-STDP algorithms for performing various drone navigation tasks such as Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), and people detection from drones, using a sensor fusion approach embarking event-based cameras and radar sensors.