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Brain-inspired computing needs a master plan

Nature volume 604, pages 255–260 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

New computing technologies inspired by the brain promise fundamentally different ways to process information with extreme energy efficiency and the ability to handle the avalanche of unstructured and noisy data that we are generating at an ever-increasing rate. To realize this promise requires a brave and coordinated plan to bring together disparate research communities and to provide them with the funding, focus and support needed. We have done this in the past with digital technologies; we are in the process of doing it with quantum technologies; can we now do it for brain-inspired computing?

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Fig. 1: Computational demands are increasing rapidly.
Fig. 2: The landscape of neuromorphic systems.

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Acknowledgements

A.J.K. thanks the Engineering and Physical Sciences for financial support from grants EP/K01739X/1 and EP/P013503/1. A.M. acknowledges financial support from the Royal Academy of Engineering in the form of a Research Fellowship (RF201617\16\9).

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  1. Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, UCL, London, UK

    A. Mehonic & A. J. Kenyon

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  1. A. Mehonic
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  2. A. J. Kenyon
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Both authors contributed equally to the manuscript and revisions.

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Correspondence to A. Mehonic or A. J. Kenyon.

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The authors are founders and directors of Intrinsic Semiconductor Technologies Ltd (www.intrinsicst.com), a spin-out company commercializing silicon oxide RRAM.

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Nature thanks Steve Furber and Yulia Sandamirskaya for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Cite this article

Mehonic, A., Kenyon, A.J. Brain-inspired computing needs a master plan. Nature 604, 255–260 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-04362-w

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Comments

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  1. Will

    The information provided about neuromorphic chips is outdated already. Brainchip Inc. already has a commercially available chip. IP has been licensed to Renesas for use in MCUs to be released this year and there is also a license with Megachips. An example implementation is in the Mercedes EQXX. They have a 3 year lead on Intel and IBM’s chips.

  2. John Harris

    Slightly different assumptions about biological neurons might substantially increase the efficiency and speeds of these machines. Link here:
    www.Rewiring-Neuroscience.com

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    I found your blog and it was really useful as well as informative thanks for sharing such an article with us. We also provide services related to Information Technology.
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