Optical fibres show promise for brain like computer

London: Since the dawn of the computer age, scientists have sought ways to mimic the behavior of the human brain, replacing neurons and our nervous system with electronic switches and memory. Now a research team from Singapore-based Nanyang Technological University (NTU) demonstrated how neural networks and synapses in the brain can be reproduced with optical pulses as information carriers. The research paves the way for scalable brain-like computing systems that enable "photonic neurons" with ultrafast signal transmission speeds, higher bandwidth and lower power consumption than their biological and electronic counterparts.