Scientists from Northwestern University and Georgia Tech have developed a new artificial neuron with capabilities that could advance the field of intelligent robotics. This neuron, part of a broader perception system, operates within the frequency range of human neurons and integrates with artificial touch receptors and synapses for real-time tactile signal processing.
The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), aims to enhance current sensing systems that fall short compared to human sensory capabilities. Yao Yao, a professor at Northwestern University and first author of the study, emphasized the progress made in organic electronics through this work. "We created an efficient artificial neuron with reduced footprint and outstanding neuronal characteristics," Yao stated.
Tobin J. Marks, co-author and professor at Northwestern University, highlighted the neuron's broad firing frequency range. "The synthetic neuron in this study achieves unprecedented performance in firing frequency modulation," Marks said. The new device offers a frequency range 50 times broader than existing models.
Antonio Facchetti from Georgia Tech also contributed as co-corresponding author. He noted that their system is the first complete neuromorphic tactile perception system based on artificial neurons capable of encoding tactile stimuli into spiking neuronal signals in real time.
This interdisciplinary team included experts in organic synthesis who developed advanced materials used by electronic device researchers for circuit design and integration. The research was supported by several organizations including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and Flexterra Corporation.
Future efforts will focus on reducing the size of these devices to more closely mimic human sensory systems.