One of the greatest challenges facing artificial intelligence development is understanding the human brain and figuring out how to mimic it. Now, one group reports in ACS Nano that they have developed an artificial synapse capable of simulating a fundamental function of our nervous system — the release of inhibitory and stimulatory signals from the same “pre-synaptic” terminal.
The human nervous system is made up of over 100 trillion synapses, structures that allow neurons to pass electrical and chemical signals to one another. In mammals, these synapses can initiate and inhibit biological messages. Many synapses just relay one type of signal, whereas others can convey both types simultaneously or can switch between the two. To develop artificial intelligence systems that better mimic human learning, cognition and image recognition, researchers are imitating synapses in the lab with electronic components. Most current artificial synapses, however, are only capable of delivering one type of signal. So, Han Wang, Jing Guo and colleagues sought to create an artificial synapse that can reconfigurably send stimulatory and inhibitory signals.
The researchers developed a synaptic device that can reconfigure itself based on voltages applied at the input terminal of the device. A junction made of black phosphorus and tin selenide enables switching between the excitatory and inhibitory signals. This new device is flexible and versatile, which is highly desirable in artificial neural networks. In addition, the artificial synapses may simplify the design and functions of nervous system simulations.
Learn more: Hacking the human brain – lab-made synapses for artificial intelligence
The Latest on: Artificial synapses
[google_news title=”” keyword=”artificial synapses” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]- AI Gets a Brain Boost: Scientists Create 'Thinking' Device Using Just Water and Salton May 2, 2024 at 9:38 pm
Scientists have achieved a significant step towards creating artificial brain cells by developing an "iontronic memristor" which mimics a synapse, the connection point between neurons. An ...
- We’re one step closer to replicating the human brainon April 30, 2024 at 4:49 pm
Scientists have just created an iontronic memristor -- a device that might become the foundation of building computers that think like humans do.
- Discover's AI use, Synapse's bankruptcy: Top tech news for April 2024on April 30, 2024 at 9:45 am
In this month's roundup of top tech news: the impact of Synapse's bankruptcy on the banking-as-a-service industry, large language models best suited for banks, Discover deploys generative artificial ...
- Create the first artificial synapses that simulate the functioning of the brainon April 30, 2024 at 6:31 am
Un importante passo avanti è stato compiuto nel campo della ricerca neurale con la creazione delle prime sinapsi artificiali, sviluppate dal team di Tim Kamsma dell'Università di Utrecht, in ...
- Scientists Built a Working Human Brain Cell Out of Salt and Wateron April 30, 2024 at 6:00 am
Scientists have long mimicked human synapses using conventional solid materials, but new research attempts to recreate using extremely basic ingredients: water and salt. By recreating human synapses ...
- Scientists Build the First Brain-Like Artificial Synapseon April 30, 2024 at 4:00 am
Credit: Andriy Onufriyenko/ A team of physicists from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and Sogang University in South Korea have built an artificial synapse, the biological ...
- Artificial Synapse News: A Step Closer to Brain-like Computing?on April 29, 2024 at 11:39 am
At the heart of this brain-like computing discovery is the fundamental difference in the way traditional computers and human brains ...
- We Just Took A Big Step Closer To A Human Brain-Inspired Computeron April 29, 2024 at 6:13 am
"It represents a crucial advancement toward computers not only capable of mimicking the communication patterns of the human brain but also utilizing the same medium," Kamsma added. "Perhaps this will ...
- Scientists Have Created a Functional Brain Cell Based on a Mix of Salt And Wateron April 28, 2024 at 10:48 pm
For the first time, researchers have simulated neurological junctions called synapses using the same water and salt ingredients the brain uses, contributing to an emerging field that combines biology ...
- Scientists use salt, water to prove human brain-like computer can existon April 26, 2024 at 4:13 am
The artificial synapse known as an iontronic memristor functions as a microchannel filled with a solution of water and salt.
via Google News and Bing News