Artificial intelligence and high-performance computing are driving up the demand for massive sources of energy. But neuromorphic computing, which aims to mimic the structure and function of the human brain, could present a new paradigm for energy-efficient computing.

To this end, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) created a droplet-based platform that uses ions to perform simple neuromorphic computations. Using its ability to retain short-term memory, the team trained the droplet system to recognize handwritten digits and play tic-tac-toe. The work was published in Science Advances.

The authors were inspired by the human brain, which computes with ions instead of electrons. Ions move through fluids, and moving them may require less energy than moving electrons in solid-state devices.