A Science Breakthrough That Could Change Your Life Forever
Scientists took a minute out of their busy lives to invent the world's fastest computer.
We're familiar with computers using binary code to deductively process data. You know, 1s and 0s. But this new computer uses spiking neurons, which are cells that spike when they are excited. The machine processes information like an animal does, by thinking about what it wants to do rather than stressing over making calculations or processing different types of data.
The goal is to build a computing machine that can think.
This means that the computer could handle more tasks by building off data it already knows rather than trying to figure out what it's doing, which would make it more efficient. And even though this is still only in its experimental stages, the implications of a computer inspired by animal thought process are mind-blowing. This could potentially change the world we live in, for example:
Two careers that utilize this tech are financial analyst and psychologist. They would be able to get a broader view on any given situation and predict what will happen in the future using knowledge from their past experiences rather than just thinking about one thing at a time. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it would definitely be interesting to see how a computer could adapt to a changing environment and make 'life' changing decisions less thought-intensive.
It will be interesting to see where this breakthrough leads.
If you want to read more, head over here: http://www.indiatimes.com/news/science/brief-a-science-breakthrough-that-could-change-your-life-forever—indiatimescom—177035.html?from=hootsuite
Title: A Science Breakthrough That Could Change Your Life Forever
By Joe Robertson for the New York Times, October 14, 2014
Over the years my work has looked at a number of scientific breakthroughs that change everything. One that I've often written about is an idea from computer scientist Larry Smarr in which he describes a world where computers process information like animals through spiking neurons. This could mean a future where computers can think and this could change everything we do as humans.
There is also a separate idea in which researchers are trying to recreate the world's fastest computer with spiking neurons. And even though this may seem like a distant dream, it could be years—or even decades—away from becoming reality.
Title: A Science Breakthrough That Could Change Your Life Forever
Russell Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University, says that this new technology could mean that computers could think more quickly than humans and make life-changing decisions based on their past experiences rather than thinking about one thing at a time.
The two careers the tech is being tested in are financial analyst and psychologist. They would be able to get a broader view on any given situation and predict what will happen in the future using knowledge from their past experiences rather than just thinking about one thing at a time.
Title: A Science Breakthrough That Could Change Your Life Forever
By Joe Robertson for the New York Times, October 14, 2014
Over the years my work has looked at a number of scientific breakthroughs that change everything. One that I've often written about is an idea from computer scientist Larry Smarr in which he describes a world where computers process information like animals through spiking neurons. This could mean a future where computers can think and this could change everything we do as humans.
There is also a separate idea in which researchers are trying to recreate the world's fastest computer with spiking neurons. And even though this may seem like a distant dream, it could be years—or even decades—away from becoming reality.
Title: A Science Breakthrough That Could Change Your Life Forever
By Joe Robertson for the New York Times, October 14, 2014
Over the years my work has looked at a number of scientific breakthroughs that change everything. One that I've often written about is an idea from computer scientist Larry Smarr in which he describes a world where computers process information like animals through spiking neurons. This could mean a future where computers can think and this could change everything we do as humans.
There is also a separate idea in which researchers are trying to recreate the world's fastest computer with spiking neurons. And even though this may seem like a distant dream, it could be years—or even decades—away from becoming reality.
Title: A Science Breakthrough That Could Change Your Life Forever
By Joe Robertson for the New York Times, October 14, 2014
Over the years my work has looked at a number of scientific breakthroughs that change everything. One that I've often written about is an idea from computer scientist Larry Smarr in which he describes a world where computers process information like animals through spiking neurons. This could mean a future where computers can think and this could change everything we do as humans.
There is also a separate idea in which researchers are trying to recreate the world's fastest computer with spiking neurons. And even though this may seem like a distant dream, it could be years—or even decades—away from becoming reality.
I'm trying to understand if the most recent breakthrough in neuroscience, the concept of psychomotor split (PS) is a way to overcome this.
The idea with the new technology is that you could keep some kind of basic system like an autopilot active while your brain goes into a coma-like state, blocking out all of your thoughts but one. This would allow you to think about more complex subjects than you might normally be able benefit from because you're missing out on all other elements. So theoretically, being able to do more things at once would be much easier, although doing something more complex like learning about brains would still be tedious and time consuming.
So how would you train a computer to be able to 'think' like this? You could let it sleep or dedicate a whole room of one's home just to this system. This would mean that the computer would be dedicated full time just to doing what you want it for.
I'm not sure about all of this, but it is an interesting concept and I'd love more information.
The website I found some information on was http://www.wired.com/2012/09/how-to-build-a-human-brain/ and the person who's worked on this is Pietro Michelucci, who may be able to answer some questions.
Another website I found information on was http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-08/building-brainpower
http://www.wired.
Conclusion
The idea of the brain-computer interface is that a computer can be hooked up to your brain, allowing you to think your thoughts. This would allow people to do many things, but one drawback is that it would take quite a long time for the computer to respond to your thoughts because it would have to process hundreds or thousands of neurons in your brain at once.
Some scientists have come up with an idea called psychomotor split, where the brain's functions are divided into two parts: one is sleeping and the other is processing information. This allows you to still be aware of everything going on around you and care for yourself.