Gateway to the neurons

The work of Israeli scientists from the Weizmann Institute gives us hope that in future computers that use the generated neurons. So far, engineers working on limited neural machinery that neurons are quite unreliable. Neuron may cause rise in the second signal only in 4 cases out of 10 Our brains compensate for this failure of neurons to form an extremely complex network of connections between them.

Israelis succeeded in the laboratory to create a neural logic gate, which is almost as reliable as its electronic equivalent. The authors findings are Elisha Moses and his students Ofer Fienerman and Assaf Rotem, who developed a method of controlled growth of neurons, and these formed a powerful circuit.

The researchers covered the plate glass material which is hostile to living cells. Then, in the material that the circuit diagram scratch, scratched and covered with a measure of cell-friendly. These were therefore forced to grow up where they wanted scientists. In this way they created a device that acts as a gateway logical AND.

Gateway is built from neurons and has the shape of a square with side length of 900 micrometers. The three sides form a kind of horseshoe shape and have a width of 150 micrometers each. On the fourth side is the "island" of neurons, connected by thin "bridges" with the two adjacent walls. When the island is stimulated by the appropriate chemical, it sends a signal that runs around the perimeter. In the middle of "horseshoe" is blocking ion, which insulates the two from each of its parts. Scientists can determine the performance goals, adjusting the width of the "bridge" linking the island of neurons from the "horseshoe." Neurons constituting the island sends its own signal only when they receive signals from the two "bridges". Tests showed that the signal arises in 95% of cases, and therefore the reliability of neurons was increased more than twofold.

Assaf Rotem notes that by increasing the reliability of the neurons and the creation of these logic gate circuits can be created that will function as intermediaries in communication between the brain and the different devices. This in turn will allow paralyzed people to control such as artificial arms or to help those following major trauma in re-learning the pronunciation.

Source: kopalniawiedzy.pl

Leave a comment