Researchers from China presented Darwin Monkey on Saturday, considered the largest brain computer ever built in the world. The information was disclosed by Global Times. The system, also called Wukong, is a new generation of a neuromorphic computer that simulates a monkey’s brain function and represents a significant advance for both artificial intelligence and neuroscience research.
Darwin Monkey was developed by the State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence at the University of Zhejiang in Zhejiang Province in East China. it is indeed able to withstand more than 2 billion artificial neurons and 100 billion synapses, a number that approaches the brain of a Rhesus monkey. According to Science and Technology Daily, the computer consumes about 2,000 watts under normal operating conditions.
Neuromorphic technology seeks to reproduce the functioning of biological neural networks in computer systems, offering high parallelism, low energy consumption and greater efficiency in complex tasks. Until then, the largest neuromorphic computer was Intel’s Hala point, launched in April 2024, with 1.15 billion simulated neurons.
Wukong uses 960 Darwin 3 chips, the third generation of neuromorphic processors, mounted on 15 bladed servers. Each chip supports more than 2.35 million pulsating neurons and hundreds of millions of synapses,as well as having specific brain computing instructions and real-time neuromorphic learning mechanisms. The team has also developed an operating system inspired by brain functioning, allowing intelligent applications such as the Deepseek model, capable of performing logical reasoning, content generation and mathematical problem-solving tasks.
According to Pan Gang, project leader and director of the lab in Zhejiang, Darwin Monkey offers a new computational paradigm:
“The system can act as a basis for the advancement of artificial intelligence, serve as a cerebral simulation tool for neuroscientists and create new experimental methods to explore brain mechanisms.” he said. He stressed that by mimicking neural functioning and operating at speeds higher than the human brain,the platform reduces the need for biological experiments and paves the way for advances in understanding the mind.
In addition to scientific applications, Wukong also has the potential to boost artificial intelligence in tasks that require rapid learning and large-scale operations, maintaining low energy consumption. For the researchers, this technology inaugurates a new era of computers capable of approaching biological reasoning and expanding the scope of research.
Neuromorphic computing aims to mimic the structure and function of the human brain, offering potential advantages in energy efficiency and processing power for specific tasks. This field has seen significant investment and research globally, with various institutions and companies developing their own neuromorphic chips and systems. The development of Darwin Monkey represents a notable step forward in the scale and complexity of these artificial brain simulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
- what is Darwin Monkey?
- Darwin Monkey, also known as Wukong, is a large-scale neuromorphic computer developed in China that simulates the brain function of a monkey.
- What is neuromorphic computing?
- Neuromorphic computing is a computing paradigm that aims to replicate the structure and function of biological neural networks in computer systems.
- What are the potential applications of Darwin Monkey?
- Potential applications include advancing artificial intelligence, serving as a tool for neuroscience research, and exploring brain mechanisms.
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