It was once a fictional scenario, a mere figment of imagination. But very soon, it may be as real as any
living organism. Humankind is poised to witness the imminent activation of a supercomputer in Australia
in 2024. This first-of-its-kind system is created to simulate human brain synapses at full scale. It aims to
discover how our brains efficiently process vast amounts of information with minimal power
consumption year after year all through an individual’s life.
DEVELOPED BY RESEARCHERS AT WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
Known as DeepSouth this brain-inspired supercomputer has been crafted by researchers at the
International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems (ICNS) at Western Sydney University in Sydney. It
consists of spiking neural networks on its chips. This innovative technology that is partnered with Intel
and Dell, aims to discover the secrets of how our brains handle information with surprising efficiency.
A release by the Western Sydney University states DeepSouth uses a neuromorphic system that mimics
biological processes. It uses hardware to efficiently imitate large networks of spiking neurons at 228
trillion synaptic operations per second, in the process rivalling the estimated rate of operations in the
human brain.
HOW DEEPSOUTH IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SUPERCOMPUTERS
DeepSouth stands apart from other supercomputers. It is purpose-built to operate like networks of
neurons, requiring less power and enabling greater efficiencies. This contrasts with supercomputers
optimised for more traditional computing loads, which are power-hungry,” said Professor Andre van
Schaik, Director ICNS.
" Progress in our understanding of how brains compute using neurons is hampered due to our inability to
simulate brain-like networks at scale. Simulating spiking neural networks on standard computers using
Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and multicore Central Processing Units (CPUs) are just too slow and
power-intensive. Our system will change that, he said.
" This platform will progress our understanding of the brain and develop brain-scale computing
applications in diverse fields including sensing, biomedical, robotics, space, and large-scale AI
applications.;
DeepSouth is one of many research projects aiming to create an artificial device that will rival the human
brain. There is ongoing research to tackle the same issue by creating biological computers powered by
actual brain cells.
Bengali