Intel introduced a chip capable of detecting odors
Intel in collaboration with researchers from Cornell University (USA) has announced a new proprietary development. It was Intel's neuromorphic chips capable of recognizing odors. The artificially created imitation of the "electronic nose" repeats the structure and state of electrical activity of the real brain. The Loihi chip has learned to identify up to ten substances in the air that have a potential danger to humans. An electronic component manufacturer and university biologists have divided the tasks. Scientists studying the interaction of molecules of substances on the receptors of smell and the subsequent transmission of electrical signals to the brain have helped create an algorithm for recognizing odors. Intel developers, for their part, translated it all into computer code that the Loihi chip can read. The neuromorphic processor was based on the mammalian olfactory system. The structure of the chip reproduces the scheme in which the neurons of the brain perceive the impulse received from the olfactory cells of the nose. Further, a group of neurons transmits a signal to other areas of the brain, as a result of which a person is able to distinguish the aromas of flowers from the smells of paint or gasoline. In the same way, the Intel chip is activated using 72 chemical sensors, if they were able to recognize certain molecules of the substance.
The authors of the project claim that the device has learned to identify the smells of substances hazardous to humans the first time. At the same time, the chip distinguished itself by a high learning rate, due to which it is already able to recognize up to ten odors dangerous to humans, including molecules of ammonia, acetone, and methane. For each individual substance, the Intel processor designs a separate circuitry of neural activity. At this stage, development is an early prototype of a future working sample. In the future, it is expected that Intel chips will be able to become the basic part of devices capable of detecting leaks of chemical reagents in production, detecting narcotic compounds, or recognizing the presence of explosives. The developers are not going to dwell solely on the development of the sense of smell in the new chips, and, in the future, they plan to supplement the device with other "senses", including the capabilities of sight and touch. Intel is not a pioneer in teaching electronic devices to recognize odors. Similar experiments are being carried out by the Google Brain Team project, which has taught the neural network to identify various flavors. In addition, a team of USA experts is testing artificial intelligence, training it to identify deadly gas mixtures. The Topic of Article: Intel introduced a chip capable of detecting odors. |
