While the computer chips in our smartphones (say, iPhones or Android phones) are increasingly capable of processing a large amount of information, their most valuable asset is their low power consumption. Steve Furber is a computer engineer who plans on combining 50,000 of the chips, however, to create an “artificial brain” that simulates one billion neurons.
Currently, Furber and his team are testing a version that includes a mere 50 “neurons” that can navigate a simple virtual environment described as “Pac-Man-like.”
Furber has big plans for the computer once it is completed:
That’s good enough for Furber, who wants to start teaching his brain-like computer about the world as soon as possible. His first goal is to teach it how to control a robotic arm, before working towards a design to control a humanoid. A robot controller with even a dash of brain-like properties should be much better at tasks like image recognition, navigation and decision-making, says Furber.
“Robots offer a natural, sensory environment for testing brain-like computers,” says Furber. “You can instantly tell if it is being useful.”
Processors for the project are currently being manufactured in Taiwan, and Furber intends to have a 10,000 chip version of the machine operational before the end of the year.
(Via PopSci)