Chips Hold the Key to Understanding the Human Brain

[TECH NEWS]

University of Manchester, UK scientists have taken a key step towards producing a high-performance computer which aims to create working models of human brain functions. Chips based on ARM processor technology will be linked together to simulate the highly-complex workings of the brain, whose functionality derives from networks of billions of interacting, highly-connected neurons. The chips upon which this work critically depends were delivered last month, and have passed their functionality tests with flying colors. They will form the system architecture for a massive computer, called SpiNNaker (Spiking Neural Network architecture), which aims to map out the brain’s individual functions. Even though there will be up to one million ARM processors—technology used in most of the world’s mobile phones—in the final SpiNNaker machine, computer scientists point out that this will enable  them to recreate models of only up to 1% of the human brain. The researchers, lead by Professor Steve Furber, believe the machine will be a vital tool for neuroscientists and psychologists to test hypotheses on individual brain characteristics.

7/7/2011, University of Manchester