In a pioneering study, researchers have developed artificial neurological junctions called synapses using a combination of water and salt. This breakthrough opens the door for the creation of advanced computers that can replicate the functionality of the human brain. The team from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and Sogang University in South Korea used the same basic ingredients as the brain to develop artificial brain cells.
The results of the study were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Scientists aiming to design energy-efficient and high-performance computers often draw inspiration from the workings of the human brain. However, the brain utilizes water and dissolved salt particles called ions as its medium, while current computer systems rely on solid materials for the same function.
This recent research has the potential to advance scientific developments towards the goal of creating an artificial human brain. The device created by the scientists is called an Iontronic memristor, which contains water and salt inside. This cone-shaped device is incredibly small, measuring just 150 by 200 micrometres.
The Iontronic memristor remembers how much electrical charge has passed through it, with electrical impulses causing ions to move through the channel. Variations in electrical charge lead to changes in ion movement. This breakthrough in utilizing water and salt for artificial synapses represents a significant step towards replicating neuronal behavior using the same medium as the brain.