New supercomputer mimics human brain, researchers say
New supercomputer mimics human brain, researchers say
By Nicholas Sakelaris NOV. 6, 2018 AT 12:07 PM
A new supercomputer capable of mimicking the human brain
went online last week at the University of Manchester in Britain. Photo
courtesy of The University of Manchester, School of Computer Science
Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A new supercomputer is able to mimic how
the human brain functions, and can perform 200 quadrillion actions
simultaneously.
The Spiking Neural Network Architecture, or SpiNNaker,
went online last week for the first time at the University of Manchester in
Britain. The computer can model more neurons in real time than any machine on
the planet, developers say.
"SpiNNaker completely re-thinks the way conventional
computers work. We've essentially created a machine that works more like a
brain than a traditional computer, which is extremely exciting," Steve
Furber, a professor of computer engineering, said in a statement.
The computer can send billions of small amounts of
information to thousands of different destinations. Eventually, the computer
will be able to model 1 billion neurons at once in real time -- about 1 percent
the scale of the human brain, researchers said.
The machine puts scientists one step closer to
understanding how the human brain works.
"The ultimate objective for the project has always
been a million cores in a single computer for real-time brain modeling
applications, and we have now achieved it, which is fantastic," Furber
said.
For now, the computer will control a robot named
SpOmnibot, a robot that can use the computer's power to interpret real-time
visual information and navigate toward certain objects while ignoring others.
The original SpiNNaker went online in April 2016 with
500,000 core processors. The latest updated version has twice that many.
Among other things, researchers say the system has the
potential to help them understand brain disorders. For now, they say, it most
closely resembles the brain of a mouse.
"If a mouse thinks mouse-sized thoughts and all that
is required is enough neurons wired together in the right structure, which is
itself a debatable point, then maybe we can now reach that level of thinking in
a model running on SpiNNaker," Furber said.
Comments
Post a Comment