Engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are leading a research team that is developing a new type of nanodevice for computer microprocessors that can mimic the functioning of a biological synapse—the place where a signal passes from one nerve cell to another in the body.
The work is featured in the advance online publication of Nature Materials.
Such neuromorphic computing in which microprocessors are configured more like human brains is one of the most promising transformative computing technologies currently under study.
J. Joshua Yang and Qiangfei Xia are professors in the electrical and computer engineering department in the UMass Amherst College of Engineering. Yang describes the research as part of collaborative work on a new type of memristive device.
Memristive devices are electrical resistance switches that can alter their resistance based on the history of applied voltage and current. These devices can store and process information and offer several key performance characteristics that exceed conventional integrated circuit technology.
“Memristors have become a leading candidate to enable neuromorphic computing by reproducing the functions in biological synapses and neurons in a neural network system, while providing advantages in energy and size,” the researchers say.
Neuromorphic computing—meaning microprocessors configured more like human brains than like traditional computer chips—is one of the most promising transformative computing technologies currently under intensive study. Xia says, “This work opens a new avenue of neuromorphic computing hardware based on memristors.”
They say that most previous work in this field with memristors has not implemented diffusive dynamics without using large standard technology found in integrated circuits commonly used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static random access memory and other digital logic circuits.
The researchers say they proposed and demonstrated a bio-inspired solution to the diffusive dynamics that is fundamentally different from the standard technology for integrated circuits while sharing great similarities with synapses. They say, “Specifically, we developed a diffusive-type memristor where diffusion of atoms offers a similar dynamics and the needed time-scales as its bio-counterpart, leading to a more faithful emulation of actual synapses, i.e., a true synaptic emulator.”
The researchers say, “The results here provide an encouraging pathway toward synaptic emulation using diffusive memristors for neuromorphic computing.”
Learn more: UMass Amherst Engineers Lead Research Team on Creating New Devices That Emulate Human Biological Synapses
The Latest on: Neuromorphic computing
[google_news title=”” keyword=”neuromorphic computing” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Neuromorphic computing
- Neuromorphic Chip Market Size To Touch $2734.8 Million By 2031 Driven By Industrial Adoption And Big Data Analysison May 8, 2024 at 10:46 pm
Neuromorphic chips offer a revolutionary approach to computing by mimicking the human brain's structure and function. These chips leverage spiking neural networks (SNNs) that emulate the biological ...
- SpiNNcloud Systems Unveils Innovative Neuromorphic Supercomputer SpiNNaker2on May 8, 2024 at 3:45 pm
SpiNNcloud System has revealed their revolutionary SpiNNaker2 platform which is a new hybrid AI supercomputer based on principles from the human brain as a next generation machine. Developed by Steve ...
- Neuromorphic supercomputer SpiNNaker 2 can be rented in the cloudon May 8, 2024 at 12:15 pm
SpiNNcloud Systems offers access to up to 656,640 economical CPU cores with accelerators that calculate up to 0.3 quintillion operations per second.
- BrainChip Adds Penn State to Roster of University AI Acceleratorson May 8, 2024 at 9:48 am
BrainChip’s University AI Accelerator Program provides platforms and guidance to students at higher education institutions with AI engineering programs. Students participating in the program have ...
- SpiNNcloud Systems launches SpiNNaker2, the first commercial neuromorphic supercomputeron May 8, 2024 at 6:36 am
German neuromorphic supercomputing company SpiNNcloud Systems GmbH today announced the first commercially available neuromorphic supercomputer with the launch of its SpiNNaker2 pl ...
- At The Heart Of The AI PC Battle Lies The NPUon April 29, 2024 at 6:21 pm
As AI PCs ascend in the market, NPUs are stepping into the spotlight. Indeed, the NPU has become a new and popular destination for many next-generation AI workloads.
- 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.
- Sandia Pushes The Neuromorphic AI Envelope With Hala Point “Supercomputer”on April 25, 2024 at 6:20 pm
Not many devices in the datacenter have been etched with the Intel 4 process, which is the chip maker’s spin on 7 nanometer extreme ultraviolet immersion ...
- World’s largest neuromorphic computer by Intel works like human brainon April 19, 2024 at 5:33 am
I ntel has announced the launch of the world’s largest neuromorphic computer system, Hala Point. Initially deployed at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, the computer mimics the human brain ...
via Bing News