How the Brain Works The Facts Visually Explained by DK (z-lib.org)

THE BRAIN OF THE FUTURE

Artificial Intelligence 188 189

Forming memory circuits

Modeling digital electronic circuits on the brain

means storing and recalling information. In the brain,

remembering involves the repeated use of particular

pathways between neurons that strengthen their

junctions (synapses) to form a “memory circuit.” In

electronics, a device in development known as the

memory resistor or memristor offers a similar function.

Telepathy is the hypothetical direct

communication between brains,

bypassing senses such as sight.

In an experiment using a block-based

computer game, instructions to rotate

blocks were collected from two players’

brains in the form of EEG readings and

then communicated, via a transcranial

magnetic simulation (TMS) cap, to a

third player to make the moves.

ELECTRONIC TELEPATHY

IN 2019, AN

AI PROGRAM

CALLED PLURIBUS

BEAT 5 ELITE HUMAN

POKER PLAYERS

EEG

COMPUTER

GAME

TMS

ROTATE

SENDER 1 SENDER 2 RECEIVER

NEURONS

Resting state

Nerve impulses

pass randomly between

a group of neurons—

only three are shown

here, but there could

be thousands. Some

synaptic junctions send

them on easily, others

less so. There is no

overall pattern and

no definite outcome.

1

Memory pathway

Recurring, more

frequent impulses in specific

patterns represent a

movement or fact being

committed to memory. The

repeatedly used synapses

boost their connections over

time, a characteristic called

long-term potentiation

(LTP; see pp.26–27 and

pp.136 –137).

2

MEMRISTORS

Resting state

A set of

electrical memristors

receive equal inputs

and allow through

signals as and when

they arrive. Like the

neurons, there is no

overall pattern and the

circuits hardly change.

1

Memristor

pathway

Stronger inputs arrive

at certain memristors,

which alter their

electrical resistance—

the electronic

equivalent of LTP. Over

time, a recognized pattern

develops as the signals

strengthen this pathway.

2

NEURON

NEURON

Synapses

pass on

occasional

impulses Irregular activity

continues

Increased use

strengthens

synapses

Organized, more frequent inputs

Continued use

strengthens pathways

Continued use

strengthens pathways

Output current

is same as input

Output current is

greater than input

INCREASED OUTPUT INCREASED OUTPUT

INPUT

MEMRISTORS

Increased

inputs

reduce

resistance

Large

resistance

RESTING OUTPUT

MEMRISTORS

KEY

Large

resistance

INPUT

Small

resistance

NEURON

MEMRISTOR

Random resting

inputs

Organized inputs

Random

resting inputs

RESTING OUTPUT

Block

rotated

US_188-189_Artificial_intelligence.indd 189 20/09/2019 12:39