Physicists from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands and South Korean University of Sogang first created an artificial synaps working on water and salt. This discovery demonstrates that systems that use the same environment as the human brain are able to process complex information. The results of the study are published in the journal pro -eedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
For many years, scientists have been striving to increase the energy efficiency of computers, inspired by the unique capabilities of the human brain. These studies have led to the development of brain -like computers that use analog methods of information processing, recalling the functioning of our brain. However, most existing systems are still based on traditional solid materials, while the human brain functions on water and salts dissolved in it.
A new study is a breakthrough in the field of ionotron neuromorphic calculation. Scientists have developed a device with a size of 150 by 200 micrometers, which imitates the functions of the synapse – the element of the brain responsible for transmitting signals between neurons. This ionotron membrane consists of a conical microcanal filled with a solution of water and salt. Under the influence of electrical impulses, the ions in the liquid move, changing the concentration of ions and, accordingly, the conductivity of the channel.
Channel conduction changes can model the strengthening or weakening of the connections between neurons, which allows the device to process information similarly to the brain. It was also found that the length of the channel affects the time required to disperse changes in concentration, which opens up opportunities to adapt the device to various information processing tasks.
Tim Camsma, a graduate student of the University of Utrecht and the leading author of the study, shared his enthusiasm for the results. The idea, which formed the basis of this project, was developed by Kamsma at the beginning of his doctoral work and was implemented together with Korean colleagues. The experimental results obtained only three months after the start of work precisely corresponded to theoretical predictions.
This study is a significant step forward in the development of computing systems that could not only imitate the patterns of communications of the human brain, but also use similar environment for their work. Despite the fact that the technology is at an early stage of development, it promises a significant improvement in efficiency and energy consumption compared to modern computers.