Based on DARPA’s SyNAPSE, IBM has unveiled its TrueNorth chip, published in Science this week. The processor can handle large volumes of data with minimal power, which IBM claims is similar to how the human brain functions.
Containing 5.4 billion transistors, TrueNorth consumes 70 milliwatts of power, significantly less than a typical microprocessor. IBM says that the chip’s intense processing power and low energy consumption enable it to compute sensory data including images, sound, and smell.