In a significant advancement in neuro-engineering and Artificial Intelligence (AI), an international research team, led by scientists at Loughborough University, has created a single artificial neuron—dubbed a ‘transneuron’—that can mimic the activity of different regions of the human brain.
This novel device can dynamically switch its function to simulate roles linked to vision, planning, and movement, processing information through electrical pulses much like a biological neuron. This ability to switch roles is considered a key step towards building truly human-like robotics and more energy-efficient AI systems.
Unlike previous artificial neurons that were limited to a single function, the ‘transneuron’ computes and processes information simultaneously across different neural roles. The researchers believe this breakthrough could accelerate the development of sophisticated neuro-prosthetics and lead to AI hardware that uses significantly less power, paving the way for more autonomous and adaptable robotic systems.
