Today's computers are essentially only equipped to deal with very
fast mathematical type algorithms. To date, they have not advanced
sufficiently to mimic the brains ability to process complex streams
of information in real time.
However, advances in our understanding of biology, mean that scientists
now believe they can model a new generation of computers on how
the brain actually works. The brain functions using microscopic
chemical interactions and electrical impulses that translate sensations
into knowledge and knowledge into decisions and actions.
IBM and Numenta, a Silicon Valley startup are heading the project
of the world's first supercomputer. The brain behind Numenta, Jeff
Hawkins, invented the first successful handheld computer, the PalmPilot,
and the first successful smartphone, the Handspring Treo. However,
his real passion has been on how the cerebral cortex works and applying
that knowledge to computers.
Video: Making a Computer that Works Like the Brain
