4 ms·

So basically you guys are saying it's way faster, but not that it's not technically impossible to do in software on normal computers. I'm just not sure it's NOT

So basically you guys are saying it's way faster, but not that it's not technically impossible to do in software on normal computers. I'm just not sure it's NOT cheaper and faster to prototype this stuff in software and then build it in hardware to make it faster once they figure it out. Prototyping in hardware seems slower and more expensive to me... And FYI I am familiar with neural networks (and artificial neural networks, I've written a few) and I understand it's massively parallel and that neural networks the size of the human brain cannot be simulated on today's hardware but that's not the goal stated in this article. It just sounds like a bunch of guys that are really into hardware and so that's how they're going to do it, and there's nothing wrong with that. I just wanted to know if it's something that that isn't technically possible in software.

jimbokun 18y ago
To me, it sounds like a bunch of guys who wrote a grant proposal general enough that they can do almost whatever they want after they get the money and still be within the scope of the proposal.
- debt 18y ago
  There are five universities across many disciplines that are working on this very challenging project. To me, it sounds like you didn't read the article.
  - jimbokun 18y ago
    I think you make my point for me. :)
debt 18y ago
We can't emulate complex brain models on a computer because we don't have the power. We shouldn't because it's incredible inefficient. IBM proposes finding a hardware model or some material that can be used to properly mimic synapses in the brain. The academic term for this would be neuromorphic engineering.