Neurons are our brain’s signaling system. These complex systems are constantly firing and communicating to facilitate brain responses. These neurons have always been something we could only find in the brain, but thanks to a recent scientific breakthrough, a team of researchers from the University of Bath have created the first artificial neurons with the ability to mimic the real thing.
The team was able to achieve two big feats: creating miniature hardware which functionally resembles neurons and also developing mathematical models that allow the technology to mimic the non-linear electrical activity of our brains.
The researchers were able to recreate both respiratory and hippocampal neurons which complete a range of biologically comparable activities. While these prototypes are far from being tested on human subjects, they have wide-ranging potential applications including pacemakers and repairing neuronal pathways damaged by neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
