The Supercomputer that Mimics Your Brain

Chances are, your old elementary school science textbook introduced the concept of the workings of computers by saying “it behaves like a nervous system on its own.” However, little did your third grade self know that since 2006, a brain-mimicking machine was in the works — one that almost perfectly mimics the workings of a human brain.

On November 2, 2018, the supercomputer that took over a decade to build whirred to life, and is the closest article of technology to successfully mimic the human brain. This method of wiring computers is called “neuromorphic computing,” and as Steve Furber, a computer scientist at the University of Manchester, says, “[it] completely re-thinks the way conventional computers work.”

So, how does it work? Well, to understand that, it is crucial to first understand the workings of biological neurons. According to the Hindu, “Biological neurons are basic brain cells present in the nervous system that communicate primarily by emitting ‘spikes’ of pure electro-chemical energy.” These spikes simulate neural pathways, or ion channels, in different parts of your body to conduct the necessary action. A study on ion channels shows that “since the physiological function of neurons is to carry information in the form of electrical impulses, ion channel function is determinant of brain function” (Instituto de Fisiologia Celular). These ‘spikes’ are what your brain sends to make your right arm raise to answer that math question in class, or to shake your head no, of course you didn’t steal that fry from your friend’s plate.

Similarly, “Furber and his team created a unique spiking neural network system on a chip that generates spikes to pass a signal from one node to the other” (Interesting Engineering). With 1 million cores to simulate brain processing, the SpinNaker (Spiking Neural Network Architecture), “mimics the massively parallel architecture of the brain and sends billions of small amounts of information simultaneously to thousands of different destinations” (The Hindu) and is primarily comprised of software that are models of neurons and synapses.

Now, this raises the question, why should we allow machines, which are traditionally insentient and consistent, to imitate a constantly changing organ driven by experience and emotion? Well, the answer lies in the outcomes of using a sentient entity to make decisions. Research shows decisions based on moral code are fundamental to the infrastructure of a healthy, culturally sound society. Therefore, an argument can be made for the mission of this project to be to solidify and protect the integrity of the human consciousness.

For example, a real-world practice that developed from the launching of this supercomputer is the re-invention of Siri. This technology has the ability to make Siri recognize that different accent that she simply couldn’t comprehend before, because of the new pathways that enable her to make that decision. Now, she has the data to scan through thousands of accents and languages to decipher the right one. Furthermore, an article by Interesting Engineering states, “decoding the history of the universe, simulating the beating of our heart or investigating the cure for certain diseases” are some implications of what the supercomputer might be able to accomplish over time.

On the other hand, there are some that feel uncomfortable with inculcating human tendencies in traditionally non-sentient creations. While part of this unsettlement births from media and television, part of it is housed in the hidden mentality of a human to have control. From the Iron to the Digital Age, the man’s frenzy to colonize as a whole has certainly left its mark on the earth, whether it be his domination of resources, animals, technology, and themselves. Therefore, with the launching of a new creation that has sparked the well-hidden controversy, a question is raised: is this invention granting man a stronger grip on his crown, or will it one day take over his throne?