Connect with us

Published

4 years ago

on

A team of scientists from Bengaluru’s Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) has developed a device that can emulate the cognitive actions of a human brain, and is more efficient than conventional techniques. The new AI technology enhances computational speed and power consumption efficiency. The team fabricated an artificial synaptic network (ASN), resembling the biological neural network, through a simple self-forming method. Scientists said that the device structure is formed by itself while heating. While aiming to develop a synaptic device for neuromorphic applications, the team also explored a material system that mimicked neuronal bodies and axonal network connectivity, similar to that in the biological system.

The scientists said that a human brain consists of 100 billion neurons comprising axons and dendrites. These neurons interconnect with each other via axons and dendrites and form colossal junctions called a synapse. This complex bio-neural network gives rise to superior cognitive abilities, scientists believe, adding that artificial neural networks (ANN), based on software, were seen defeating humans in games such as AlphaGo and AlphaZero and even helping handle the COVID-19 situation.

Researchers said that while the power-hungry von Neumann computer architecture slows down ANN performance due to the available serial processing, the brain does the job via parallel processing, consuming just 20W of power.

Scientists said that the JNCASR team dewetted Silver metal to form branched islands and nanoparticles with nanogap separations to resemble bio neurons and neurotransmitters, where dewetting is a process of rupture of continuous film into disconnected/isolated islands or spherical particles.

“With such an architecture, several higher-order cognitive activities are emulated,” the team explained in a Ministry of Science & Technology press release.

They said that using programmed electrical signals as a real-world stimulus, this hierarchical structure emulated various learning activities such as short-term memory (STM), long-term memory (LTM), potentiation, depression, associative learning, interest-based learning, supervision, impression of supervision, and more.

Not just that, the synaptic fatigue following excessive learning and its self-recovery was also mimicked, and quite remarkably, these behaviours were emulated in a single material system without the aid of external CMOS circuits, scientists said.

The team has developed a prototype kit to emulate Pavlov’s dog behaviour that demonstrates the potential of this device towards neuromorphic artificial intelligence. It’s a remarkable achievement because the JNCASR team has taken a step further towards accomplishing advanced neuromorphic artificial intelligence by organising a nanomaterial resembling the biological neural substance.

Interested in cryptocurrency? We discuss all things crypto with WazirX CEO Nischal Shetty and WeekendInvesting founder Alok Jain on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Science

New Study Reveals Recent Ice Gains in Antarctica, But Long-Term Melting Continues

Published

3 hours ago

on

May 17, 2025

By

New Study Reveals Recent Ice Gains in Antarctica, But Long-Term Melting Continues

Global warming and climate change have been subjects of major concern for a long time. One of the key indicators of this phenomenon is the melting of ice in the polar regions. Researchers from Tongji University in Shanghai have been using NASA satellite data to track changes in Antarctica’s ice sheet over more than two decades. Their newest study states that despite the increase in global temperature, Antarctica has gained ice in recent years. However, it cannot be considered as a miraculous reversal in global warming because over these two decades, the overall trend is substantial ice loss. Most of the gains have been caused by unusual increased precipitation over Antarctica.

About the New study

According to the new study , NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-On satellites have been monitoring this ice sheet since 2002. The ice sheet covering Antarctica is the largest mass of ice on Earth

The satellite data revealed that the sheet experienced a sustained period of ice loss between 2002 and 2020. The ice loss accelerated in the latter half of that period, increasing from an average loss of about 81 billion tons (74 billion metric tons) per year between 2002 and 2010, to a loss of about 157 billion tons (142 billion metric tons) between 2011 and 2020, according to the study. However, the trend then shifted.

The ice sheet gained mass from 2021 to 2023 at an average rate of about 119 billion tons (108 metric tons) per year. Four glaciers in eastern Antarctica also flipped from accelerated ice loss to significant mass gain.

General Trend in global warming

Climate change doesn’t mean that everywhere on Earth will get hotter at the same rate, so a single region will never tell the whole story of our warming world.

Historically, temperatures over much of Antarctica have remained relatively stable, particularly compared to the Arctic. Antarctica’s sea ice has also been much more stable relative to the Arctic, but that’s been changing in recent years.

Continue Reading

Science

Astronomers Discover Exceptionally Symmetrical Supernova Remnant Teleios

Published

4 hours ago

on

May 17, 2025

By

Astronomers Discover Exceptionally Symmetrical Supernova Remnant Teleios

A Supernova remnant (SNR) with exceptional circular symmetry has been spotted by an international team of researchers. Supernova remnants (SNRs) are the remains of a supernova explosion, seen as diffuse,expanding structures. Observations show that SNRs harbor ejected material expanding from the supernova explosion. They also contain other interstellar material that has been swept up by the passage of the shockwave from the exploded star. This rather unusual SNR is named “Teleios”, the Greek term of perfect. The newfound SNR, officially designated as G305.4–2.2 was identified in the radio-continuum images of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU).

Unusual structure and properties

According to the research paper describing the “Teleios”, it stands out for its unusual symmetrical structure. SNRs generally are unsymmetrical due to uneven distribution of the interstellar medium (ISM) they expand into. A few remnants like lSNR J0624–6948, SN1987A, or MC SNR J0509–6731 exhibit similar morphology

According to the paper, G305.4–2.2 or “Teleios” is located at a distance of 7,170 or 25,100 light years away, corresponding to a diameter of 45.6 or 156.5 light years, respectively. The study found some extended radio emission inside the southeastern edge of Teleios’s shell. This suggests that at least some parts of this region might be affected by the interaction of Teleios with local interstellar medium (ISM) structures. A steep spectral index of -0.6 suggests the remnant is either relatively young or very old and exhibits low surface brightness. These features make Teleios a compelling target for deeper investigation.

Possible Origins and Future Research

The study’s authors propose that Teleios likely originated from a Type Ia supernova, possibly formed below the Milky Way’s galactic plane. However, no direct evidence currently confirms this hypothesis. To uncover more about Teleios’s origin and evolution, the researchers recommend future high-resolution, multi-frequency observations.

These could reveal its expansion velocity and provide a clearer picture of its age and composition. Such efforts would not only enhance understanding of this unique remnant but also offer broader insights into the diversity and behaviour of supernova explosions in our galaxy.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.


Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Laptop With Arm-Based Processors Tipped to Launch in 2026



Netflix Unveils AI-Powered Feature That Will Blend Ads With Shows and Movies

Related Stories

Continue Reading

Science

NASA’s SWOT Satellite Reveals Big Impact of Small Ocean Currents and Waves on Ocean

Published

5 hours ago

on

May 17, 2025

By

NASA’s SWOT Satellite Reveals Big Impact of Small Ocean Currents and Waves on Ocean

Small-scale ocean features once overlooked are now seen as powerful forces shaping Earth’s climate and marine life. Developed in association with the French space agency CNES, the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite caught two-dimensional images of submesoscale waves and eddies about a mile across in a recent NASA-led study. Now clearly seen in before-unheard-of clarity, these currents are essential in moving carbon, nutrients, and heat across the ocean. The high-resolution data of the satellite provides the most comprehensive picture yet of how small-scale vertical currents affect the ecosystems and climatic systems of the world.

NASA SWOT Satellite Discovers Vertical Ocean Currents Driving Climate and Ecosystem Change

As per a recent report from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, SWOT revealed how vertical ocean circulation, previously too fine for satellite observation but too broad for ship-based tools, drives exchanges between ocean depths and the atmosphere. “Vertical currents can bring heat from deep layers to the surface, warming the atmosphere,” notes oceanographer Matthew Archer in a statement. SWOT tracked a submesoscale eddy in the Pacific’s Kuroshio Current and measured vertical circulation of up to 14 metres per day, showing how such features help sustain surface ecosystems.

The satellite also observed an internal solitary wave in the Andaman Sea with twice the energy of a typical internal tide, underscoring its ability to estimate energy movement in global waters. Scientists use sea surface height data from SWOT to infer wave slope and fluid pressure, which reveals current speed and the volume of energy or material being transported. “Force is the fundamental quantity driving fluid motion,” explained coauthor Jinbo Wang of Texas A&M University in the blog.

Researchers emphasise SWOT’s role in reshaping ocean modelling. “Now models must adapt to these small-scale features,” denotes JPL’s Lee Fu in the official NASA blog, adding that SWOT data is already being integrated into NASA’s ECCO ocean model. Through continuous monitoring, SWOT is intended to help clarify among environmental changes, ocean-atmosphere interaction, and climate behaviour.

The SWOT mission is a joint project between NASA and CNES, with contributions from CSA and the UK Space Agency, and represents a new era in observing Earth. Its snapshots of the globe every 21 days offer a one-of-a-kind glimpse of how small, dynamic ocean systems help control life and climate on Earth.

Continue Reading

Trending