Researchers from the N.G. Chernyshevsky Saratov National Research University designed a new electronic neuron similar to FitzHugh-Nagumo type neurons. They based their design on a pre-existing circuit and began modifying it to reduce the number of components, eliminate duplicate circuits, and excess power sources to decrease energy consumption. Meanwhile, they aimed to preserve important dynamic patterns, especially pulse activity patterns.
They explained that after removing nearly all unnecessary elements from the circuit, they discovered an interesting trick by using a diode in the operational amplifier circuit, which significantly improved the device’s performance. Three major problems were solved: this development can be used in artificial intelligence applications, neural prosthetics, and fundamental brain research.
According to Vladimir Ponomarenko, a professor in the Department of Dynamic Modeling and Biomedical Engineering at the university, one of the most exciting applications of electronic neurons is the creation of ‘artificial life.’ Scientists hope to build such artificial animals in the medium term (12-15 years). In the future, scientists plan to improve the characteristics of artificial neurons and integrate them into complex systems to solve problems in biomedical, robotics, and fundamental sciences. This is considered a multidisciplinary project requiring joint efforts from electronics engineers, mathematicians, programmers, biologists, and doctors.
