Intel designs neuromorphic chip concept, our android clones are one step closer

Most neurochip projects have been designed around melding the brain and technology in the most literal sense. Intel's Circuit Research Laboratory, however, is betting that we might get along just fine with neuromorphic (brain-like) computers. By using valves that only have to respond to the spin of an electron, as well as memristors that work as very efficient permanent storage, the researchers believe they have a design that operates on the same spikes of energy that our noggins use rather than a non-stop stream. Along with simply using power levels closer to those of our brains, the technique allows for the very subtle, massively parallel computations that our minds manage every day but which are stilldifficult to reproduce with traditional PCs. There's still a long path to take before we're reproducingPrometheus' David (if we want to), but we've at least started walking in the right direction.