According to its developers, this chip could not only transform diagnostics and treatment for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, but also boost the performance of brain-machine interfaces and assist surgeons.
Researchers from Peking University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported the breakthrough in a peer-reviewed study published in Science on Thursday, detailing a 40-nanometre memory chip with an integrated artificial neural network.
The device overcomes long-standing computational limits, enabling it to reconstruct complex brain surfaces in less than half a second – making it 50 to 478 times faster than state-of-the-art Nvidia A100 graphics processing unit (GPU) systems, according to the team.
Lead author Yang Yuchao, a professor at Peking University’s school of integrated circuits and deputy dean for its school of electronic and computer engineering, told state-run Guangming Daily that the chip could accurately render the brain’s folds for medical applications.
“This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for brain-computer interfaces and the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases,” he said. “In the future, personalised and dynamic digital brain twins will become possible.”
“It also provides a hardware foundation that can operate in real time for intraoperative neuronavigation [a navigation system for surgery], early screening for Alzheimer’s disease and personalised interventions,” Yang added.
