Artificial neurons were able to demonstrate a conditioned reflex

Neurons in the brain can store information and process it by sensing many different analogue signals.

signals. Physicists are trying to reproduce similar properties using memristors: their properties are similar to the functionality of nerve endings. 

In the new work, the authors examined the shortcomings of memristors, such as thermal conductivity, as well as low compatibility with living tissue, in order to exclude them for future development. 

According to the researchers, they have created an artificial analogue of synapses—the points of contact between two nerve cells.

Thanks to synapses, the brain processes in parallelhuge amounts of information without errors and with minimal energy consumption. Our plastic transistor has all the key features of synapses. 

Jonathan Rivney, one of the developers, assistant professor at Northwestern University in Evanston

Physicists have connected sensors to a chain of neuronspressure and light and watched whether they could “realize” that flashes of light were always accompanied by impacts on the pressure sensor. The new development successfully coped with this task. 

Read more

Elon Musk: the first tourists to Mars will die

The first accurate map of the world was created. What's wrong with everyone else?

Ingenuity completes fourth longest flight