Researchers at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have employed a new material to mimic the low-power, high-performance functioning of the human brain in simple circuits.
By exploiting the properties of correlated oxides—a family of materials that can fluidly change their electronic properties—professor Shriram Ramanathan and coworkers have made a device that can adapt in a way similar to brain cells.
“If an acquaintance comes towards you, you can recognize him or her in less than a second, as the time range for a neuron to work lies in [the range of] milliseconds,” said Jian Shi, a postdoctoral researcher in Ramanathan’s lab.
She said that this type of speed and low energy inspired material scientists.
The brain not only splits computation between many units, but also incrementally strengthens pathways after repeated use.
This is believed to be necessary for learning and memory.
But rather than just turning on or off certain neural connections, the brain increases the ability for a connection to carry an electric signal the more it is used.
This property is mimicked by incorporating correlated oxides into circuit connections.
Ramanathan’s group used samarium nickelate, which incrementally adjusts how well it conducts electricity according to how strong an electric field the circuit machinery applies to it.
As in the brain, these subtle shifts in conductivity are made with low energies.
“One of the key limiters for the functionality of mobile devices is the energy consumption,” Ramanthan said. “You’re basically limited to the power of your battery, so if you want a state-of-the-art computer running on your iPhone, that can be very challenging.”
This variable conductance behavior is at the core of the semiconductor industry, but still now, the industry suffers from the fact that highly structured silicon, which has classically been the best option for semiconducting devices, is quite expensive to produce.
Because the nickelate functions despite high disorder, it could eventually be cheaper to produce than current silicon products.
Plus it would not suffer from memory loss when unplugged from a power source.Ramanathan added that his group is currently attempting to incorporate this component into simple circuits, potentially to elucidate details of how brains affect behavior and perform tasks, such as pattern recognition.
—Staff Writer Manny I. Fox Morone can be reached at mmorone@college.harvard.edu. Follow him on Twitter @mannyfoxmorone.
Read more in News
Levels of Hormones Help Better Predict Breast CancerRecommended Articles
-
Harvard Scientists Control Minds of WormsTo the extent that a worm smaller than a pinhead has a mind, Harvard scientists have shown that they are capable of controlling it.
-
Ground Breaking New Fuel Cells DevelopedMaterials scientists at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed the first macro-scale thin-film solid-oxide fuel cell, potentially serving as a new source of clean energy.
-
New Fuel Cell Stores EnergyIn the world of clean energy, solid oxide fuel cells are a key research area in developing ways to produce energy cheaply and efficiently. Recent research from a group of materials scientists at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has gone one step further with the development of a cell that stores energy as it converts hydrogen into electricity.
-
San Jose State Integrates EdX Into CoursesSan Jose State University will offer more courses that integrate Harvard’s virtual learning platform edX into their lesson plans, as well as work with other California universities to replicate this initiative at schools across the state, SJSU and edX announced Wednesday.
-
Professors Mask Thermal StructuresWith the development of a more stable form of a unique material, Harvard professors are now closer to finding a way to mask the thermal signatures of objects.
