Inspired by the
architecture of the brain, scientists have developed a new kind of computer
chip that uses no more power than a hearing aid and may eventually excel at
calculations that stump today’s supercomputers.
The chip, or processor, is
named TrueNorth and was developed by researchers at IBM and detailed in
an article published
on Thursday in the journal Science. It tries to mimic the way brains recognize
patterns, relying on densely interconnected webs of transistors similar to the
brain’s neural networks.
The chip’s electronic
“neurons” are able to signal others when a type of data — light, for example —
passes a certain threshold. Working in parallel, the neurons begin to organize
the data into patterns suggesting the light is growing brighter, or changing
color or shape.