Molecule-sized Computer Mimics Human Brain At Work

[lazarus]

A team of researchers from Japan and Michigan have built a molecular computer whose operation mimics a human brain. The tiny circuit, comprised of organic molecules on a gold substrate, is capable of super-fast concurrent calculations that rival the firing of neurons.

When it comes to multitasking, even the fastest computers are still miles behind the human brain. Neurons only fire about a thousand times per second -- way slower than the petaflops achieved by today's fastest digital processors -- yet people are still smarter than computers.

"I can see you, recognize you, talk with you, and hear someone walking by in the hallway almost instantaneously, a Herculean task for even the fastest computer," physicist Ranjit Pati of Michigan Technological University says in a press release.

This is because digital computers process information sequentially, while the brain is a tangled web. Electrical impulses in the brain follow complex neurological networks involving several concurrent operations; computers can't do that.

It goes beyond binary, and has 0, 1, 2, and 3 as conducting states. This is cool.

Edit: Forgot the blasted link.

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-04/molecule-sized-computer-mimics-human-brain-work

[villager]

1. The human brain? Works?

n/t

[Owlet]

2. Link, please?

I'd like to know more about this.

[lazarus]

5. sorry about that

a mod forgets the link. Of course. :hi:

OP is edited with the link, but here it is again:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-04/molecule-sized-computer-mimics-human-brain-work

[Astrad]

3. Link here

http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/04/Information-Technology-Computer-Technology-Circuit-Evolution-Brain-Like-Computing-On-Organic-Molecular-Layer/

[unpossibles]

4. I love it

When I worked in fiber optics I had an idea for using light wavelength(/color) to go beyond binary, but had no real idea how to implement it - and likely it was already being done either that way or another. This is amazing news though.

[Indenturedebtor]

6. Neurons have been proven to work like this for decades

Mimicking them in any meaningful way has been quite difficult however :)

[jberryhill]

11. Seriously...

I think what some people don't get is that any machine can be simulated in software... including this one.

[byronius]

7. True artificial intelligence is going to change everything.

And here it comes.

[Festivito]

8. I wouldn't think so, we'll still be the same old arrogant, self-serving, cusses

we always were.

We'll just use the silly machine to watch FOX news for us.

[byronius]

9. I respectfully beg to differ.

We'll use artificial intelligence to watch Fox News while travelling in hyperspace using technology and in ships designed by capable inhumans.

Really, I think once there are entities that can out-think and outperform human beings, we'll have to come to grips with the necessary death of capitalism. I suspect the Teabaggers of tomorrow will resemble the Moderate Liberals of today, although everyone else will have moved far beyond that.

[Festivito]

10. Nice hope for the future.

Capitalism won't die, it will thrive. At least we'll still call it capitalism or some good-sounding name.

The thinking machines will be bottled inside think tanks with some of the current conscripts.

Those not in the inside game will get robotic slaves pre-programmed to clean house, drive and play music. You won't be able to program them yourself. If you try you break the warranty and it won't clean house anymore.

Some will suspect they are monitoring us. How silly! That would be like thinking your phone is tapped. Well... maybe they are, but I have nothing to hide.

I just can't figure out why all my stock trades turn sour.

[StatGirl]

12. I for one welcome our new molecular overlords. (NT)