Skip to main content

HONOR Win Turbo2: 12,070mAh battery, SD 8s Gen 4 CPU, 185Hz AMOLED

The HONOR Win Turbo2 has been made official in China. Like the new Win RT2 , the HONOR Win Turbo2 comes with an enormous 12,070mAh battery, with 90W wired charging and 27W reverse wired charging, so you can use it like a power bank for other devices and accessories. There’s a sub-flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset under the hood, with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. No active cooling fan for this one. HONOR used a large 6.89-inch AMOLED screen with a 185Hz refresh rate and 10,000-nit peak brightness. A 50-megapixel selfie camera is on the top of the display, while the rear has the 50-megapixel main shooter and 12-megapixel ultra-wide. It ships with Android 17-based MagicOS 11, has an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, and is IP68/IP69K dust- and water-resistant. The HONOR Win Turbo2 is now in China with a starting price of CNY3,199 (~Php30,500) for the 8GB/256GB, while the top-of-the-line 16GB/512GB model is at CNY4,4...

Swiss company develops low energy “Biocomputer” using 16 human mini-brains

Biocomputer-Human-Mini-Brains-Swiss

If you have wondered where the concept of Artificial Intelligence originated, the answer lies in the many computer scientists who have been closely studying and attempting to imitate the human brain for years.

These computer scientists have tried to copy the structure of our brain through neural networks with amplified processing skills to come up with what we now know simply as “AI.” However, the more technology advances and the potential of AI is harnessed frequently, the more energy is consumed.

Ironically, this is when scientists return to nature where a Swiss start-up company recently launched what they dub as a “biocomputer,” one that can attach to functioning, pulsing brain cells. The company also states that it uses substantial amount of energy than traditional, bit-based computers.

FinalSpark’s (the said startup company) online platform harnesses spherical clusters of laboratory-produced human brain cells known as organoids instead of simply merging biological ideas into computing. This research in organoids is significant because it is studied at a period when artificial neural networks have gained popularity.

There is a total of 16 organoids kept within four arrangements that are then connected to eight electrodes each, as well as a microfluidics system that provides water and nutrients for the cells.

This is known as wetware computing, where researchers’ abilities are put to use to culture organoids in the lab. It’s a recent technology that lets scientists study what are technically mini replicas of various organs.

FinalSpark’s comment on their developed technology

According to the company, the brain-machine interface system bioprocessors that they are continuously developing takes up a million times less power than traditional digital processors.

Biocomputer-Human-Mini-Brains

While there are no specific numbers yet for factors such as energy usage or processing power, the research team comments that teaching just one large language model like the GPT-3 already requires 10 gigawatt hours, equivalent to 6,000 times the energy that a single European citizen consumes in a year.

On the other hand, our brain’s 86 billion neurons consume only a fraction of that same energy, a total of just 0.3 kilowatt hours per day.

Latest reports on technology also mentions the rise of the Artificial Intelligence industry and how frequent use of AI has the capacity to consume 3.5 percent of the world’s electricity by 2030. The IT industry alone has already contributed 2 percent of global CO2 emissions.

FinalSpark as not the only company returning to nature for assistance

While the Swiss corporation has developed their biocomputers, they are not entirely the first company to try harnessing mother nature in attempt to connect probes to biological systems or even program neural networks so they work on particular input-output functions upon command.

In fact, researchers from the United States also built a bioprocessor just last year that allows a computer hardware to attach to brain organoids. The system was quick to recognize speech patterns with such a bioprocessor.

At current the system serves as a way for researchers and computer scientists to perform lengthy experiments on brain organoids, just like those that have already come before it. Of course, the objective of having a new, energy-efficient computing approaches is never far from these experiments.

With the continuous experiments and development, FinalSpark can confidently say that researchers can now connect to its system remotely, with the sustainability of the mini-brains lasting up to 100 days (their electrical activity is monitored 24/7.)

A final note from the company states that, this year, the system is available for research purposes and is free for researchers to utilize to work towards the end goal.

The start-up company hopes that in the future, they can extend the capabilities of their platform to manage a wider range of experimental protocols significant and relating to wetware computing. This would include injecting molecules and drugs into organoids for testing.

We look forward to more updates on FinalSpark’s continuous efforts to achieve a perfected biocomputer and make use of mother nature balanced with the rise in technology.

Source: ScienceAlert

This article, Swiss company develops low energy “Biocomputer” using 16 human mini-brains, was originally published at NoypiGeeks | Philippines Technology News, Reviews and How to's.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Apple puts Vision Pro update on hold to speed up development of AI smart glasses

Apple has reportedly decided to delay plans for a major update to its high-end Vision Pro headset. Instead, the company is allegedly moving its focus to creating a new line of AI-powered smart glasses that would compete directly with products from Meta. This new rumor comes from a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman . Although Apple had been developing a more affordable and lighter version of the Vision Pro, it is now reassigning staff from that project to work on the new smart glasses initiative. According to the report, Apple is developing at least two different types of smart glasses. The first model, known internally as the N50, is designed to work with an iPhone and will not have its own built-in display. Apple’s current plan is to announce these glasses as early as next year, with a full release to the public scheduled for 2027. The second model is a more advanced version that will include its own display. This product would put Apple in direct competition with the recently a...

Framework Laptop 16 with RTX 5070 unveiled

Framework, a company that became prominent with its repairable and sustainable PCs, has released a refresh to one of its most popular products, the Framework Laptop 16. Just like its cousins, the Framework Laptop 16 has replaceable components like the CPU, WiFi, battery, and more, so you can easily upgrade only what you need for futureproofing. But there’s one component that the whole laptop industry has been struggling to make sustainable: the GPU. Now, Framework has apparently fixed that as the new Laptop 16 gets an RTX 5070 graphics module upgrade. Its predecessor has a Radeon RX 7700S, making this new one a substantial upgrade, with Framework estimating a 30 to 40 percent increase in GPU performance. With this upgrade, Framework is also including a beefier 240W USB-C charger with Power Delivery 3.1. Another interesting feat, as other 240W power adapters use a proprietary cable and not USB-C. It is also now more expensive. The new Framework 16 now has a starting pri...

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G: Exynos 1330 CPU, 90Hz Super AMOLED, 6-year support

Samsung is pushing the envelope by promising 6 years of software support on their latest budget smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G. The Samsung Galaxy A16 will receive 6 Android upgrades and 6 years of security patches. So if you’re on a budget and want a device that can last you until October 2030, you’re probably looking at your next smartphone. It is listed in Europe with an in-house Exynos 1330 chipset, while a previous leak suggests that India and Thailand — possibly including the Philippines — will receive the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 model. What’s more, it is powered by 4GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage, which can reach up to 1.5TB. It then has the usual 5,000mAh battery with a speedy 25W charging support. On the front, there’s a fancy 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. A good ol’ waterdrop notch holds the 13-megapixel selfie camera. Around the back, we have a 50-megapixel main shooter, 5-megapixel ultra-wide, and 2-megapixel macr...