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Category: neuroscience – Page 5

Material that listens: Chip-based approach enables speech recognition and more

Speech recognition without heavy software or energy-hungry processors: researchers at the University of Twente, together with IBM Research Europe and Toyota Motor Europe, present a completely new approach. Their chips allow the material itself to “listen.” The publication by Prof. Wilfred van der Wiel and colleagues appears today in Nature.

Until now, has relied on cloud servers and complex software. The Twente researchers show that it can be done differently. They combined a Reconfigurable Nonlinear Processing Unit (RNPU), developed at the University of Twente, with a new IBM chip. Together, these devices process sound as smoothly and dynamically as the human ear and brain. In tests, this approach proved at least as accurate as the best software models—and sometimes even better.

The potential impact is considerable: hearing aids that use almost no energy, that no longer send data to the cloud, or cars with direct speech control. “This is a new way of thinking about intelligence in hardware,” says Prof. Van der Wiel. “We show that the material itself can be trained to listen.”

Are Five Senses Holding Us Back? Scientists Say We Could Use Seven

A mathematical model shows memory capacity is maximized when represented by seven features. The study links this to the potential for seven senses, with applications in AI and neuroscience. Skoltech researchers have developed a mathematical model to study how memory works. Their analysis led to u

Scientists reverse stroke damage with stem cells

Scientists in Zurich have shown that stem cell transplants can reverse stroke damage by regenerating neurons, restoring motor functions, and even repairing blood vessels. The breakthrough not only healed mice with stroke-related impairments but also suggested that treatments could soon be adapted for humans, marking a hopeful step toward tackling one of the world’s most devastating conditions.

Pain-detecting nerve cells could yield new way to manage lung scarring

Researchers at the University of Calgary studying a lethal lung disease called pulmonary fibrosis have found that neurons known to help detect pain are also critical for reducing harmful lung inflammation that leads to the disease.

Pulmonary fibrosis, also called lung scarring, is uncommon but it’s hard to treat and most people die within five years of diagnosis. Research to date has focused on how the lung lining gets damaged and the body’s attempts to repair the issue. The role of neurons—a complex network of cells within the nervous system that send messages between the brain, and through the body—and the immune system has received less study.

Now a research team led by Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) physician-scientist Dr. Bryan Yipp, MD, has found specific that normally detect pain also help control inflammation during lung fibrosis.

Neuromorphic Intelligence Leverages Dynamical Systems Theory To Model Inference And Learning In Sustainable, Adaptable Systems

The pursuit of artificial intelligence increasingly focuses on replicating the efficiency and adaptability of the human brain, and a new approach, termed neuromorphic intelligence, offers a promising path forward. Marcel van Gerven from Radboud University and colleagues demonstrate how brain-inspired systems can achieve significantly greater energy efficiency than conventional digital computers. This research establishes a unifying theoretical framework, rooted in dynamical systems theory, to integrate insights from diverse fields including neuroscience, physics, and artificial intelligence. By harnessing noise as a learning resource and employing differential genetic programming, the team advances the development of truly adaptive and sustainable artificial intelligence, paving the way for emergent intelligence arising directly from physical substrates.

Researchers demonstrate that applying dynamical systems theory, a mathematical framework describing change over time, to artificial intelligence enables the creation of more sustainable and adaptable systems by harnessing noise as a learning tool and allowing intelligence to emerge from the physical properties of the system itself.

New evidence suggests brain’s opioid system helps mediate ketamine’s antidepressant effects

Researchers continue to explore how ketamine brings about fast-acting relief for people with depression. In a new experiment, scientists tested how brain activity changes under different conditions, shedding light on the complex pathways involved in the treatment response.

Hair Holds Hidden Clues to Children’s Mental Health Crisis

A strand of hair might seem like an unlikely window into a child’s psychological wellbeing, but new research from the University of Waterloo suggests that measuring stress hormones in hair samples could help identify which children with chronic illnesses are most at risk for developing serious mental health problems.

The four-year study of 244 Canadian children reveals a concerning pattern: more than two-thirds of kids living with chronic physical conditions showed persistently elevated levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, measured through their hair. These children also displayed more symptoms of depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems compared to peers whose stress levels naturally declined over time.

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