Advanced brain simulator to help understand neurological disorder
In a bid to improve understanding of neurological disorders , researchers have created a fast and energy-efficient simulation of part of a rat brain by using computer chip manufacturer NVIDIA's Artificial Intelligence (AI) compute platform. Developing faster and more efficient simulators could increase the level of understanding the brain function and identify how damage to a particular structure in neurons can lead to deficits in brain function. For creating the simulator, the researchers used computer hardware designed for 3D games, according to the study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience. The study showed that a single Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) was able to achieve processing speeds up to 10 per cent faster than is currently possible using either a supercomputer or the SpiNNaker neuromorphic system, a custom-built machine. The team was also able to achieve energy savings of 10 times compared to either the SpiNNaker or supercomputer simul