Researchers in computer science and neuroscience have been steadily working to uncover the core design principles underlying intelligent behavior, and inventing key technologies needed to build machines that emulate it. Now, with a recent discovery at Hewlett-Packard Labs, the field is poised to make a massive leap forward by being able to finally build large, brain-like systems running on inexpensive and widely available hardware.
In May 2008, USA’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), with a track record in promoting high risk, high reward projects (such as the precursor of the Internet), jump-started the process via the Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics (SyNAPSE) initiative. The goal of this research program is to create electronic neuromorphic machine technology that is scalable to biological levels. SyNAPSE is a complex, multi-faceted project, but traces its roots to two fundamental problems.