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New IBM supercomputing chip SyNAPSE–low powered human brain emulation

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New IBM supercomputing chip SyNAPSE–low powered human brain emulation

from JoeUser Forums

 

Three years ago, DARPA financed an IBM project to create a whole new paradigm of computing. The Result is SyNAPSE (Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics). This chip is radically different than any of its predecessors.

“It’s a silicon core capable of digitally replicating the brain's neurons, synapses and axons. To achieve this, researchers took a dramatic departure from the conventional von Neumann computer architecture, which links internal memory and a processor with a single data channel…which isn’t at all power efficient and the problem worsens in larger systems. IBM integrated memory directly within its processors, wedding hardware with software in a design that more closely resembles the brain's cognitive structure. This severely limits data transfer speeds, but allows the system to execute multiple processes in parallel (much like humans do), while minimizing power usage.” – Engadget

This video appeared 2 years ago explaining at a simple level, cognitive computing or AI. There isn’t a good sync between the brain anatomy and his speech…the areas mentioned aren’t the ones being seen on the video, and when he mentions the thalamus, it’s the two gold oblate spheroids not the medulla/pons depicted below them (same color) anyway: http://youtu.be/agYJSdMWXYQ

So, the project has progressed…a great deal in 3 years. That original single core chip now emulates one million neurons, 256 million synapses and 4,096 synaptic cores…while requiring 70mW of power…which is 1 hearing aid battery’s worth.

This is a major achievement (I’m very impressed, but truly concerned)…the achievement is the processing of sensory data by merging and computing in parallel.

How impressive is this? Well, as Dr. Dharmendra S. Modha (IBM’s Chief Scientist) put it, “You can carry one of our boards in your backpack. You can’t carry four racks of standard computers in your backpack.”

As I said, I’m truly impressed by this and what it will bring to computing and to medical devices.

What I’m concerned about is AI in general.

Sources:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/18/ibms-cognitive-computing-chip-functions-like-a-human-brain-her/

http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/07/ibm-synapse-supercomputing-chip-mimics-human-brain/?utm_source=Feed_Classic_Full&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget&?ncid=rss_full

103,297 views 37 replies
Reply #26 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting RedneckDude, reply 25


End of RedneckDude's quote

 

What can I say...

 

Reply #27 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 24

They were afraid you wouldn't understand?
End of DrJBHL's quote

That is one funny LMAO emoticon Red.  

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #28 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting DrJBHL, reply 12

How about you give it a command to build a better and more efficient computer? 

The problem is that it WILL. Nowhere in that will be the command 'You must obey humans'...which may or may not be a great idea.

Perhaps what really is needed is "The Three Laws of Robotics" (a.k.a. Asimov's Laws):

 

    1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

 

    1. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

 

    1. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

 


 

 

End of DrJBHL's quote

See the movie "I, Robot" to explore just how a 'smart' AI could use the three laws to imprison us.  They are a great start, but more is needed. 

-e

Reply #29 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting ElanaAhova, reply 28


See the movie "I, Robot" to explore just how a 'smart' AI could use the three laws to imprison us.  They are a great start, but more is needed. 

End of ElanaAhova's quote

I'd recommend the short story collection the movie is (barely) based on. Ends with much, much greater insight into the long-term consequences of a superior intelligence dealing with the shackles of the 3 laws. Profound and disturbing.

Reply #31 from Sins Forums Top

What scares me is what could this be capable of if someone got a hold of this with a more "sinister" or malicious intent? (Don't say its not possible). We have enough problems with Pirates, Hackers, and their "super virus's", and malware. Imagine intelligent learning hardware, and software unleashed capable of bypassing, and overriding any safety, firewall, encryption short of "pulling the plug".... Basically Cylon  :cylon: Get your EMP weapons ready, and get ready to blacken the sky.... Oh, oops. Wrong movie reference (should have taken the blue pill) :p

This kind of reminds me of the Forbin Project.

Reply #32 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I remember seeing part of that film on tv. The book was probably much better. 

As I wrote above...the first day of AI might herald the last of H. sap, which is why there probably should be a "What could go wrong with this?" computer that would require those issues be dealt with before an action be initiated.

The problem with that is that it would also have to consider "What could go wrong if it isn't done?" as well. 

The thing would probably go nuts in a microsecond. I just think there's no real stopping this despite the fact that almost everyone can see horrific possibilities. There's simply no "Just because you can do this doesn't mean you should."

The "I can win." is hard wired into us...ego, if you will, and this has always caused disasters and will cause technologically advanced disasters in the future.

Reply #34 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Campaigner, reply 3

We're so early into it that when I hear people seriously talking about SkyNet and stuff I think: Fearmongering.
End of Campaigner's quote
GOOGLE *is* SKYNET

Reply #35 from WinCustomize Forums Top

:(O

Reply #36 from Elemental Forums Top

Skynet doesn't need nukes then, it can just aggregate our most circumstantially incriminating search queries for a grand jury!

Reply #37 from WinCustomize Forums Top

hi,

the biggest error of all attempts of creating pseudo   ai, is assuming that a robot could one day exactly be like a human on a bionic level.

its fun to see that even ibm belives this. using an good voice and optical recognition method combined with a simple simulation and learning algorithm + a good random number generator + database program could do more than imitating human synapses what a waste of time xd. 

regards bluedxca93