Scientists at Utrecht University in the Netherlands have developed a groundbreaking device that mimics brain synapses using simple substances like salt and water. This innovative gadget, measuring just 150 to 200 micrometers, processes information similarly to the human brain. Details of this unique technology have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
This marks the first instance of an aqueous memristor being utilized to create a neuromorphic (brain-like) computer. While artificial synapses made from solid materials already exist, this development demonstrates that complex information processing can also be achieved using salt and water, according to Tim Kamsma, a Ph.D. candidate at Utrecht University and lead author of the study.
The researchers aimed to simulate neuronal behavior with a system using the same medium as the brain: salt and water. The Iontronic Memristor, a cone-shaped device filled with a salt-water solution, was later refined by experts in South Korea.
The device operates by receiving electrical impulses that cause ions to move along the channel, changing the surrounding ion environment and forming neuronal connections similar to those in the human brain. If an impulse is particularly strong or prolonged, the channel’s conductivity changes accordingly, allowing the memristor to remember previous electrical charges, much like the brain’s synaptic systems.
Kamsma highlighted that this innovation is a crucial step towards creating computers that not only emulate the communication patterns of the human brain but also use the same media. This advancement could eventually lead to computing systems that replicate the extraordinary capabilities of the human brain.
