Tiny Brain-Like Computer Created (article)

[Jennifer]

Very very cool stuff!

The most powerful computer known is the brain, and now scientists have designed a machine just a few molecules large that mimics how the brain works.

So far the device can simultaneously carry out 16 times more operations than a normal computer transistor. Researchers suggest the invention might eventually prove able to perform roughly 1,000 times more operations than a transistor...

Thoughts? Further ideas? (read the article first, it explains everything more clearly)

[563 740]

Terminator: ...a revolutionary type of microprocessor...In three years, Cyberdyne will become the largest supplier of military computer systems. All stealth bombers are upgraded with Cyberdyne computers, becoming fully unmanned. Afterwards, they fly with a perfect operational record. The Skynet funding bill is passed. The system goes on-line on August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn, at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 am, eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.
Sarah: Skynet fights back.
Terminator: Yes. It launches its missiles against their targets in Russia.
John: Why attack Russia? Aren't they our friends now?
Terminator: Because Skynet knows that the Russian counter-attack will eliminate its enemies over here.
Sarah: Jesus.

[Martoon]

The self-replicating nanotech watershed moment gets another step closer...

I think this is inevitably going to happen at some point, and not in the terribly distant future. When it does, the entire world is going to change drastically, and I think it will change pretty fast with the technology feeding back on itself.

[BryNTP]

Originally Posted by 563 740

Terminator

That is too funny. I had read this article and I thought the same thing. I was going to post it here under the title of "Cyberdyne just became conscious!"

[Grayscale]

Originally Posted by Martoon

The self-replicating nanotech watershed moment gets another step closer...

I think this is inevitably going to happen at some point, and not in the terribly distant future. When it does, the entire world is going to change drastically, and I think it will change pretty fast with the technology feeding back on itself.

there are major logistical difficulties (motivation to do so completely aside) you will run into when trying to engineer a computer that could create, improve, and self-implement circuitry on its on volition... the fact of the matter is, regardless of processing speed, AI will never be able to escape the confines of it's programming... it's fragile and will never aggregate to anything greater than its source

although humans have advanced society, what we have done is an output of our thinking and the refinement of that output... we have not and cannot make an external improvement on our own thinking because we can never become external to our own thinking. at the very least, humans have the major advantage afforded by biology, and robots/AI do not, it is something we have created and thus far less complicated than our biological selves.

to rival biology through abiotic means, if not impossible, would take a very, very long time. im inclined to say that it is impossible... if the greatest always wins in the random collision of every possibility, the fact that we have yet to see a champion that resembles a computer suggests that they are nothing more than a poor mimicry of biology.

[YourLocalJesus]

I was thinking about this too, we need to stop SkyNet from ever becoming a reality!!!! :O

[Judous]

Originally Posted by Grayscale

there are major logistical difficulties (motivation to do so completely aside) you will run into when trying to engineer a computer that could create, improve, and self-implement circuitry on its on volition... the fact of the matter is, regardless of processing speed, AI will never be able to escape the confines of it's programming... it's fragile and will never aggregate to anything greater than its source

although humans have advanced society, what we have done is an output of our thinking and the refinement of that output... we have not and cannot make an external improvement on our own thinking because we can never become external to our own thinking. at the very least, humans have the major advantage afforded by biology, and robots/AI do not, it is something we have created and thus far less complicated than our biological selves.

to rival biology through abiotic means, if not impossible, would take a very, very long time. im inclined to say that it is impossible... if the greatest always wins in the random collision of every possibility, the fact that we have yet to see a champion that resembles a computer suggests that they are nothing more than a poor mimicry of biology.

QFT

[Xander]

I've got to figure that hardware has now outstripped our capabilities to program. I can't count the number of times there's been "the latest and greatest thing to come out ever!!!" only to find out that it's riddled with bugs (says he typing from a Vista computer ) and you can't actually use the power because it's thrown away by programmers and less well developed pieces of kit further down the line.

I think that out of all the computers I've benchmarked I've never yet seen one where the memory ever becomes 100% in use and I've never yet seen anyone write a piece of software which actually does strain your computer for a reason other than they've written bad code.

A new processor? Cool. Now it's time for the rest of the stuff to catch up.

Has anyone informed M$ that they've got more resources to use up yet?