In a study published in the journal Nature Electronics, researchers from Indiana University introduced a breakthrough cyber neural network, which is a living brain tissue power made using stem cells.
An important advancement in science has been made by Indiana University researchers who used organoids, or brain-like structures made from stem cells, to pioneer a new type of neural network.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Electronics, clarified that these brain-like structures are small-scale, tissue-based models even if they differ greatly from the real brain. They are useful in brain research because they lack thoughts, emotions, and consciousness, which avoids the moral dilemmas associated with testing on humans.
The goal of creating neural networks was to imitate biological brains’ low-energy use. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems based on microprocessors need about 8 million watts to carry out comparable tasks, whereas a human brain only needs 20 watts for daily operations.
Mohit Shivdasani, a biomedical engineering specialist at the University of New South Wales, predicts that mind-controlled devices using smart brain technology may be common by the 2040s.
A sophisticated, densely packed multielectrode array and a miniature brain analog are combined in a novel device known as Brainware. This chip allows electrical impulses to be transmitted and electrical activity in nerve tissue to be detected.
Two applications of brainwave were tested: speech recognition and nonlinear problem-solving. In less than a day, its accuracy in identifying Japanese phrases increased from 51% to 78%, demonstrating a notable improvement.
In mathematical computations, Brainware was found to be almost as accurate as artificial neural networks (ANN) with long-term memory, but faster. When given the same training duration, Brainware learned ninety percent faster than its wholly electronic counterparts.
This research is a major step forward in the direction of developing new computer systems that combine electronic and organic components. However, the research team also emphasized how critical it was to address ethical issues as technology advanced. They added that maintaining such brain-like models required life support systems, which in turn somewhat decreased total energy efficiency.
In a related development, a cyborg cockroach designed for use in rescue operations has been produced by Japanese scientists. The work of the Indiana University team and that project were comparable in that they both involved the integration of biological and electronic components, demonstrating a trend in research towards hybrid systems.