TrueNorth. Computer chip that functions as the right hemisphere of the human brain, where the information perceived by the senses is processed. It is the first neurosynaptic processor, as it can adapt to changes, understand what the environment around it is like, analyze situations and make decisions. [one]
Summary
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- 1 Review
- 2 Features
- 3 Possible uses
- 4 Sources
Review
Created by researchers at the technology company IBM and Cornell University . The project has involved more than 200 people, it has lasted 10 years and received 53 million dollars from the Agency for Defense Advanced Research Projects in the US , known as DARPA for its acronym in English.
characteristics
It has 5.4 billion connected transistors to emulate a brain with an extensive network of interconnected processing units through 256 million programmable synapses.
“It is a supercomputer the size of a stamp and the weight of a pen that consumes the same as a hearing aid.
“It is a truly radical innovation.”
Dharmendra Modha, IBM researcher [2]
«It is a great experiment in architecture. It is a good first step. Representing information with the speed of nerve pulses … that is not something that digital computers have managed in the past. ”
Carver Mead, father of Neuromorphic Engineering [3]
A characteristic that differentiates the TrueNorth chip from conventional chips is that most of the latter group cannot perform more than one calculation simultaneously, making it practically impossible for them to carry out more complex actions such as, for example, those linked to language.
Possible uses
Among its possible uses is that it could help blind people to move around, in rescue operations or in autonomous vehicles, although experts say that it will be a long time before it is available for commercial use.
