In a groundbreaking study, researchers from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and Sogang University in South Korea have developed artificial neurological junctions called synapses using a combination of water and salt. This innovation opens up new possibilities for the creation of advanced computers that can replicate the functionality of the human brain.
The team used the same basic ingredients as the brain to develop artificial brain cells. The results of their work were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Scientists aiming to design energy-efficient and high-performance computers often draw inspiration from the workings of the human brain. However, while current computer systems rely on solid materials for similar functions, the brain utilizes water and dissolved salt particles called ions as its medium.
This recent research has significant implications for scientific developments towards creating an artificial human brain. The device created by the scientists is called an Iontronic memristor, which contains water and salt inside. Measuring just 150 by 200 micrometres, this cone-shaped device is incredibly small but holds immense potential for replicating neuronal behavior using the same medium as the brain.
The Iontronic memristor remembers how much electrical charge has passed through it, with electrical impulses causing ions to move through the channel. Variations in electrical charge lead to changes in ion movement, making this breakthrough in utilizing water and salt for artificial synapses a crucial step towards replicating neuronal behavior using the same medium as
