Chinese engineers have unveiled a groundbreaking new brain-like computer, named “Darwin Monkey,” designed to emulate the complex functions of a macaque monkey’s brain.

This advanced system, developed at Zhejiang University’s national key lab of brain intelligence, represents a significant leap in artificial intelligence and neuroscience research.

Technological Innovations of Darwin Monkey

The Darwin monkey computer is powered by 960 Darwin 3 chips, the latest generation of independently developed brain-like neural processing units.

This sophisticated chip array supports an impressive capacity of over 2 billion pulsed neurons and more than 100 billion synapses.

Unprecedented Capabilities and Applications

Darwin Monkey is recognized as the world’s frist brain-like computer to integrate advanced thinking capabilities with vision, hearing, language, and learning functions.

Under typical operating conditions, the system consumes approximately 2,000 watts of power.

Real-World Deployments and Future Potential

The research team has successfully implemented several intelligent applications on the Darwin Monkey, including running the DeepSeek brain-like large model.

This enables the computer to perform complex tasks such as logical reasoning, content generation, and solving mathematical problems.

Moreover, its extensive neuronal and synaptic resources allow for preliminary simulations of various animal brains, including elegans, zebrafish, mice, and macaques.

This capability opens new avenues for comprehensive brain science research and understanding neurological processes.

Evergreen Insights

Brain-like computing, also known as neuromorphic computing, aims to replicate the structure and function of biological brains in artificial systems. This approach differs from traditional von Neumann architectures by processing information in a more parallel and distributed manner, inspired by neurons and synapses.

The advancement of advanced neural processing units (NPUs) like the Darwin 3 chips is crucial for achieving higher levels of artificial intelligence.These chips are designed for energy efficiency and parallel processing, making them suitable for complex AI tasks that require mimicking biological neural networks.

Simulating animal brains offers invaluable insights into neuroscience. By creating computational models of different brain structures and functions, researchers can test hypotheses about neural mechanisms, disease progression, and potential therapeutic interventions.

The integration of multiple cognitive functions-vision, hearing, language, and learning-into a single AI system is a key goal in artificial general intelligence (AGI) research. Darwin Monkey’s architecture represents a significant step towards creating more holistic and adaptable AI systems.

The power consumption of AI hardware is a critical factor in its scalability and environmental impact. The reported 2,000-watt consumption for Darwin Monkey, while substantial, is a point of comparison within the field of high-performance computing and AI research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary function of the Darwin Monkey computer?

The Darwin Monkey computer is designed to mimic the workings of a macaque monkey’s brain, integrating advanced thinking abilities with vision, hearing, language, and learning functions.

What technology powers the Darwin Monkey brain-like computer?

The Darwin Monkey is powered by 960 Darwin 3 chips, which are third-generation brain-like neural processing units independently developed by the lab.

How many neurons and synapses does the Darwin Monkey support?

The chip array supports more than 2 billion pulsed neurons and over 100 billion synapses.

What kind of applications can run on the Darwin Monkey?

The system can run intelligent applications, including the deepseek brain-like large model, for tasks like logical reasoning, content generation, and mathematical problem-solving.

Can the Darwin Monkey simulate other animal brains?

Yes,leveraging its neuronal and synaptic resources,the system can preliminarily simulate animal brains of varying neuron sizes,such as elegans