Researchers have created a small device that 'sees' and creates memories in a similar way to humans, in a promising step towards one day having applications that can make rapid, complex decisions such as in self-driving cars.
The neuromorphic invention is a single chip enabled by a sensing element, doped indium oxide, that's thousands of times thinner than a human hair and requires no external parts to operate.
RMIT University engineers in Australia led the work, with contributions from researchers at Deakin University and the University of Melbourne.
The team's research demonstrates a working device that captures, processes and stores visual information. With precise engineering of the doped indium oxide, the device mimics a human eye's ability to capture light, pre-packages and transmits information like an optical nerve, and stores and classifies it in a memory system like the way our brains can.
Collectively, these functions could enable ultra-fast decision making, the team says.
Team leader Professor Sumeet Walia said the new device can perform all necessary functions -- sensing, creating and processing information, and retaining memories -- rather than relying on external energy-intensive computation, which prevents real-time decision making.
"Performing all of these functions on one small device had proven to be a big challenge until now," said Walia from RMIT's School of Engineering.
"We've made real-time decision making a possibility with our invention, because it doesn't need to process large amounts of irrelevant data and it's not being slowed down by data transfer to separate processors."
What did the team achieve and how does the technology work?
The new device was able to demonstrate an ability to retain information for longer periods of time, compared to previously reported devices, without the need for frequent electrical signals to refresh the memory. This ability significantly reduces energy consumption and enhances the device's performance.
Their findings and analysis are published in Advanced Functional Materials.
First author and RMIT PhD researcher Aishani Mazumder said the human brain used analog processing, which allowed it to process information quickly and efficiently using minimal energy.
"By contrast, digital processing is energy and carbon intensive, and inhibits rapid information gathering and processing," she said.
"Neuromorphic vision systems are designed to use similar analog processing to the human brain, which can greatly reduce the amount of energy needed to perform complex visual tasks compared with today's technologies
What are the potential applications?
The team used ultraviolet light as part of their experiments, and are working to expand this technology even further for visible and infrared light -- with many possible applications such as bionic vision, autonomous operations in dangerous environments, shelf-life assessments of food and advanced forensics.
"Imagine a self-driving car that can see and recognise objects on the road in the same way that a human driver can or being able to able to rapidly detect and track space junk. This would be possible with neuromorphic vision technology."
Walia said neuromorphic systems could adapt to new situations over time, becoming more efficient with more experience.
"Traditional computer vision systems -- which cannot be miniaturised like neuromorphic technology -- are typically programmed with specific rules and can't adapt as easily," he said.
"Neuromorphic robots have the potential to run autonomously for long periods, in dangerous situations where workers are exposed to possible cave-ins, explosions and toxic air."
The human eye has a single retina that captures an entire image, which is then processed by the brain to identify objects, colours and other visual features.
The team's device mimicked the retina's capabilities by using single-element image sensors that capture, store and process visual information on one platform, Walia said.
"The human eye is exceptionally adept at responding to changes in the surrounding environment in a faster and much more efficient way than cameras and computers currently can," he said.
"Taking inspiration from the eye, we have been working for several years on creating a camera that possesses similar abilities, through the process of neuromorphic engineering."
Go here to read the rest:
Tiny device mimics human vision and memory abilities - Science Daily
- The Eradication of Mankind: Trans-Post Human Agenda - Video [Last Updated On: September 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 7th, 2012]
- Sri Lanka in UN list of countries accused of intimidating critics [Last Updated On: September 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 16th, 2012]
- Humanity isn’t, it becomes | Gene Expression [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2012]
- Explore Human Limits @ Wellcome Collection [Last Updated On: September 24th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 24th, 2012]
- Bahraini wins UN rights post amid protests [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Poll: Priewpan befits dep PM post [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Human hamster wheel to cross Irish Sea (VIDEO) [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Foreign Nationals Can Use An Obscure Human Rights Law To Sue Yahoo And Other Corporations In U.S. Courts [Last Updated On: September 30th, 2012] [Originally Added On: September 30th, 2012]
- Indonesian history may be rewritten but no rehabilitation yet for anticommunist victims [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2012]
- Odisha Human Rights Commission's complaint management goes online [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2012]
- Nigeria: Nigeria Is a Country, Not a Nation - Akinjide [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2012]
- City hires human resources administrator [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2012]
- Human Rights Must Bow To Religious Values: Home Minister [Last Updated On: October 1st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 1st, 2012]
- EDIT: Human error? [Last Updated On: October 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 2nd, 2012]
- Azerbaijan detains youth activist in ongoing post-Eurovision crackdown [Last Updated On: October 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 2nd, 2012]
- The legitimacy of the Hague Tribunal to check: expert [Last Updated On: October 2nd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 2nd, 2012]
- Human Circuit to Integrate Cutting Edge Media and Technology Solutions for the Howard University Health Sciences ... [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- Minister denies Indonesia's 1965 rights abuses happened [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- Transportation Disaster Response, Post-Accident Communications, and Accident Investigation ... [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- Park HS principal leaving for central office job [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- Outrage over human errors in Hong Kong boat crash [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- Journalists for Human Rights launches campaign to keep Sierra Leone's elections free and fair. [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- Justice names new chief [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- Outrage over human errors in deadly Hong Kong boat crash [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- U.S. Department of Defense Awards Penn Researchers Funding to Investigate New Anti-Infection Drug [Last Updated On: October 3rd, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 3rd, 2012]
- A Closer Look at The New Heroes [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2012]
- DeMorning Links: Forgotten bodies [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2012]
- Q&A: Terrance Nelson and Nazanin Afshin-Jam debate his trip to Iran [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2012]
- Black ‘Human Zoo’ Fury Greets Berlin Art Show [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2012]
- What Is a 'Human Flesh Search,' and How Is It Changing China? [Last Updated On: October 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 5th, 2012]
- Human rights and Egypt's future [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2012]
- First Nations stooges: South Africa in 1987 and Iran in 2012 [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2012]
- US Department of Defense awards Penn researchers funding to investigate new anti-infection drug [Last Updated On: October 6th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 6th, 2012]
- Mitt Romney Tries to Prove He Is Human by Telling Sad Stories [Last Updated On: October 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 7th, 2012]
- Technology for the body on the road to cyborgs? [Last Updated On: October 7th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 7th, 2012]
- ADP Broadens its Human Capital Management Offer to Help Midsized Companies Gain a Competitive Edge [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2012]
- PICKET: EPA told human test subjects - 'there's a possibility you may die from this' [Last Updated On: October 8th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 8th, 2012]
- Human scarecrow battles birds in post-graduation gig [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2012]
- Egypt draft constitution fails to protect key rights: HRW [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2012]
- Egypt constitution threatens rights [Last Updated On: October 9th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 9th, 2012]
- Loraine Post Office gets good news and shorter hours [Last Updated On: October 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 10th, 2012]
- Infor Recognized as Human Capital Management Leader and Human Resource Leader by Nucleus Research [Last Updated On: October 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 10th, 2012]
- Human remains found in warehouse fire [Last Updated On: October 10th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 10th, 2012]
- 'Human Hamster Wheel' Sinks; Here's Video Of How It Used To Work [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2012]
- Human Services diced with cloud collaboration [Last Updated On: October 11th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 11th, 2012]
- Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, SportsGuinea creates 1st human rights ministerial post [Last Updated On: October 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 12th, 2012]
- UN envoy calls on Ivory Coast to release probe [Last Updated On: October 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 12th, 2012]
- Correction: UN-Iran-Human Rights [Last Updated On: October 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 12th, 2012]
- UN Report Finds Iran's Crackdown Expanding [Last Updated On: October 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 12th, 2012]
- CBI chief set for post-retirement job [Last Updated On: October 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 14th, 2012]
- Post-Mubarak Egypt Wants Police Force Reined In [Last Updated On: October 14th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 14th, 2012]
- Human rights lawyer elected new Libyan PM [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2012]
- Libya's legislature elects former congressman and human rights lawyer as new prime minister [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2012]
- Libya elects human rights lawyer as new interim PM [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2012]
- Libya names human-rights lawyer Ali Zidan as interim prime minister [Last Updated On: October 15th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 15th, 2012]
- Berlin art show traces desire for freedom [Last Updated On: October 16th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 16th, 2012]
- ECOWAS Court of Justice engages media [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2012]
- SAIC to support human performance research [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2012]
- Terry Tremaine no longer facing charges over alleged online activity [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2012]
- Post-war art show in Berlin traces desire for freedom [Last Updated On: October 17th, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 17th, 2012]
- post human ad 1 - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Crysis 2 Walkthrough - Ep.13 Terminal Shootout - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Crysis 2 glitch - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- crysis 2 post human warrior 2 - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Crysis 2 Post Human Warrior - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Post Human Warriors w/Twitch: pt 4 (SAEVE DE GOULD) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Post Human Warriors w/Twitch: pt 3 (BAWX) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Post Human Warriors w/Twitch: pt 2 (CELL Camp) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Post Human Warriors w/Twitch: pt 1 (Submarine Marines) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Crysis 2 - Mission 3 - Part 1 - Post Human Warrior Difficulty. - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Crysis 2 Post Human Warrior Difficulty Stealth Gameplay - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Post Human Post Hilarius - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- In Arc 1.3: Neal Stephenson - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- For ATB Shout Out (original footage) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Daly - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Crysis 2-Second Chance (part iii) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- (Part 1) Crysis 2 HD + Max Settings Walkthrough "Post Human Warrior" Difficulty - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Crysis 2 - Second Chance (part ii) - Video [Last Updated On: October 31st, 2012] [Originally Added On: October 31st, 2012]
- Pistols Mostly on Train To Catch - Crysis 2 (Serious) - Video [Last Updated On: November 5th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 5th, 2012]
- The Music Scene - Video [Last Updated On: November 12th, 2012] [Originally Added On: November 12th, 2012]