IBM has created the closest artificial analog of neurons

The research center IBM in Zurich has reported on creation of the first-ever artificial stochastic neurons with phase transition which work almost in the same way, as well as regular biological cages of nervous tissue. Reports the research center in the blog about it, also, developed article to this subject I have devoted Ars Technica.

In the company have created "population" from about 500 such neurons and used this network to process a signal the same as it does a brain. Neuromorphic computers work thus – and it is the answer to a question, why such neurons in principle to someone were necessary.

Such neurons (and chips on their basis) are made of the studied materials which it is possible to scale to several nanometers, also they can work with very high speed, but in case of very low energy costs. Important also the fact that they stochastic – in other words, are capable to make results, as well as biological neurons slightly excellent from each other.

How such neurons in comparison with the biological analog are designed, it is possible to constitute representation on this drawing:

As well as the biological neuron, at neuron of IBM has "input equipment" (dendrites), a neural membrane around "generator" (kernel) and "output device" (axon).

Key distinction – in a diaphragm. In real neuron it would be the liquid two-layer structure which works both as the resistor, and as the condenser. It resists conductivity, but finally when electrical pulses on a dendrite arrives enough, it creates enough potential that the cell made own electrical impulse which is transferred further through axons to other neurons.

In IBM-neuron such diaphragm was replaced with a small square from germanium-antimony-tellurium (GeSbTe or GST). It can exist in two phases (in this case, crystalline or amorphous) and just to switch in between, as a rule, under the influence of high temperature (the laser or electricity). Materials with phase transition have very excellent physical properties, depending on a phase: in an amorphous status it is isolation material, in crystalline – the conductor.

In artificial neuron this small square begins operation in an amorphous stage. When to it pulses arrive, it slowly crystallizes, won't become the conductor yet. And then reverts to the original state. Stochasticity is provided that every time an amorphous status of a diaphragm differs from previous a little. So engineers don't know authentically when a certain neuron transfers impulse.

Scientific operation how such stochastic neurons work with phase transition, can be read, for example, on Nature.