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Researchers get spiking neural behavior out of a pair of transistors
New approach to improving AI performance turns a silicon problem into a feature.
Termed "neuromorphic" processors, this alternative approach to hardware tends to have lots of small, dedicated processing units with their own memory and an extensive internal network connecting them. The team found that, when set up to operate on the verge of punch-through mode, it was possible to use the gate voltage to control the charge build-up in the silicon, either shutting the device down or enabling the spikes of activity that mimic neurons. Still, given the fact that the energy use of AI is putting us at greater risk of blowing past all of our climate targets, it's probably a good thing to have as many options as we can get to cut down on the energetic cost.
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