An international team of scientists from the United States,
Ireland, India and Singapore has created a molecular
microcircuit that works like a brain - it simultaneously stores
and processes data, and is also capable of rebuilding its
hardware architecture. Researchers talked about this in the
journal Nature. The experiment showed that a molecular
processor can perform multidimensional, branched calculations
in one clock cycle - this brings it closer to the brain in terms of
energy efficiency. According to one of the authors of the work,
the device shows all the signs of the brain - it consists of the
same tiny molecular nodes that are networked and work in
parallel. Even if part of the processor fails, it will still work.
This flexibility allows the molecular microcircuit to play the
role of not only a processor, but also a memory - the device
instantly switches between processing and storing data when
the voltage changes. During calculations, a molecular processor
can also change the entire logic of its work, rebuilding the bonds
between atoms and molecules. The biological brain behaves in
a similar way with its neurons and dynamic connections between
them. Scientists believe that such a molecular crystal can be
embedded in mobile and peripheral devices, as well as in
conventional silicon processors to "speed up complex decision
making" and the operation of neural networks, which will be much
more powerful than existing ones.
