Samsung proposes new approach for brain-like neuromorphic chips in research paper

[Source: Samsung Electronics Co.]

Samsung Electronics laid out a vision for a chip that emulates human brain in a paper co-authored with Harvard University researchers to pioneer next-generation AI semiconductor technology.

The paper "Neuromorphic electronics based on copying and pasting the brain" authored by Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology fellow and Harvard University professor Ham Don-hee, Harvard University professor Park Hong-kun, Samsung SDS CEO Hwang Sung-woo and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kim Ki-nam was published in the journal Nature Electronics, the company said on Sunday.

Neuromorphic engineering aims to design a semiconductor chip inspired by the brain or mimic its neuronal networks with the goal of reproducing the brain’s higher-order functions, such as cognition and reasoning.

The paper suggested a new way to copy the brain's neuronal connection map by using a nanoelectrode array developed, and to paste this map onto a high-density three-dimensional network of solid-state memory chips.

According to Samsung Electronics, it is possible to read fine electrical signals generated between neurons through nanoelectrodes and map a neural network based on the readings.

The authors presented a completely new concept of a neuromorphic semiconductor system by pasting the copied neural network map into a memory chip, where each memory serves as a contact point between neurons, a company official said.

The paper also proposed maximizing memory density using cutting-edge semiconductor technology that includes three-dimensional flash stacking technology and through silicon vias (TSVs) applied to high-performance DRAM in order to analyze vast amounts of signals measured in the neural networks.

[ⓒ Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]