Researchers in Zurich have developed a way to mimic the brain's processing speed on a microchip.

Researchers in Zurich have developed a way to mimic the brain's processing speed on a microchip. In a study recently published in PNAS, the researchers developed a "neuromorphic" chip to build a computerized sensory processing system. Unlike most computer simulations of neural networks and brain processing--which are large, expensive energy hogs--the neuromorphic chip was designed to realistically imitate the interactions between synapses. The researchers then combined the chips into realistic networks to complete a task that required short-term memory and complex decision-making. Researchers say that these chips could be used to one day build better artificial retinas and corneas, as well as giving scientists a better understanding of how neural networks function

Read more: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130722152705.htm