4 ms·
From what I know, neurons typically click on or off, so they are digital in that way. Signal strength is implied by the frequency of those clicks, so that's ana
by protonfish 8y ago
From what I know, neurons typically click on or off, so they are digital in that way. Signal strength is implied by the frequency of those clicks, so that's analog. Transistors are analog electronics, but used to make digital switches so it's sort of the reverse.
I guess my point is that calling neurons analog or digital is not a very good analogy and should probably be avoided.
- nickpsecurity 8y agoIt's a mixed-signal, general-purpose ASIC done in wetware. Combines both digital and analog traits. Some of most interesting research I saw in hardware CompSci does the same. Never goes mainstream since industry prefers things that are easy to automate and scale up for obvious reasons.
- ItsMe000001 8y agoBut whether or not the incoming signals ever lead to a new action potential depends on so many factors (spacial, temporal, chemical, biological,... and it's all dynamic on many levels) that can all be called "analog" and are quite diverse that it's hard to call anything "digital". One action potential, that thing that brings to mind the "digital" analogy, really is a very small part in that system.
- kazinator 8y agoTransistors also shut on and off fully in, say, a switched mode power supply, or a class D amplifier, or any other pulse-width-modulation-like scenario. That is all considered analog.