Israeli research among '50 most significant in 2007 : AZ IMC

A groundbreaking discovery in the field of artificial
intelligence, conducted by two Tel Aviv University academics, and Israeli research into treating Parkinson's disease, have been selected as among the past year's greatest advancements in
science by a top U.S. periodical.

Scientific American magazine placed Professor Eshel Ben-Jacob and Dr. Itay Baruchi's creation of a type of organic memory chip on its list of the year's 50 most significant scientific discoveries.

In their research, the Israeli academics used nerve cells taken from rodents, and managed to create a simple method that simulates how information or memories are stored in humans and
animals. Scientists hope that their work could lead to the development of computers that will be able to think creatively.
Another Tel Aviv University researcher, Professor Beka Solomon, was also listed by Scientific American for her research in treating Parkinson's disease. "Computers that exist today are
passive," Ben-Jacob explained. "You run a program and everything goes according to what is already input. In contrast, when a
person undertakes a task you know he is going to use his
personal judgment in accordance to circumstances that may
develop."

For their research, Ben-Jacob and Baruchi mixed millions of
neurons - nerve cells from the brain stems of rats - and created
a type of "brain in a Petri dish." They then cast the fluid
neurons evenly over an array of electrodes so that they could
record their electrical signatures and the interaction of the
neurons.

Neurons communicate with one another by electrically charged
pulses. Each cell receives signals from many other neurons and
reacts by creating their own. To the researchers' surprise, the
communication between the neurons was not random, but adhered to
specific structures that repeated themselves. Chemical
stimulation caused certain electrical reactions, and this
repeated itself.

"This dish has millions of neurons that can be imagined as
millions of people each sending each other SMS messages,"
Ben-Jacob said. "Each person is connected to 100,000 others;
each second he is sending a message to 100,000 people and
receiving messages from 100,000 people. When we applied a
certain chemical, neurons began to send messages in specific
routes; independent correlation and synchronization between the
cells developed. We can make the cells communicate in certain
patterns that we control, and that is, in essence, memory."

What is the memory that the rodents' cells store? According to
Ben-Jacob, the simple lab-created memories are not specific like
those of humans. "The system does not remember 'father' or
'mother,' it is not a concrete memory. But here we have a module
of inter-cell communication that can be used to create a module
that carries meaning." Ben-Jacob's and Baruchi's findings have
already improved scientists understanding of how the thought
process occurs and memories are stored in the brain. They hope
that in a relatively short time, their neurons system will be
used in other experiments, such as checking how medications
affect the brain.

In the distant future, they hope to achieve much more ambitious
and far-reaching goals: Connecting between a regular computer
and a network of neurons, creating a biological computer. Such a
computer will be entirely different from today's static
computers. It will identify senses, interact with its
surroundings and even make independent decisions. In effect, the
computer will have an autonomous brain with which it will
function harmoniously.

"The dream is to create a system that on the one hand you can
control, and on the other will still surprise, it will know how
to improve itself and do things you had not programmed it in
advance," Ben-Jacob said. "These hybrid computers won't look
like laptops, but will be made-up of chips with different
capabilities from computers" Ben-Jacob stressed Baruchi's
importance to the research. "It's his project," he said. "Itay
took a chance, chose a revolutionary subject and researched it
while having to work for a living. Nowhere in the world are
there such students."

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