Human Memory Modeled with Standard Analog and Digital Circuits: Inspiration for Man-made Computers

384 Pages·2009·2.1 MB·English

by  John Robert Burger

HUMAN MEMORY
MODELED WITH
STANDARD ANALOG
AND DIGITAL CIRCUITS
Inspiration for Man-made Computers
JOHN ROBERT BURGER
A JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC., PUBLICATION

HUMAN MEMORY
MODELED WITH STANDARD
ANALOG AND DIGITAL CIRCUITS

HUMAN MEMORY
MODELED WITH
STANDARD ANALOG
AND DIGITAL CIRCUITS
Inspiration for Man-made Computers
JOHN ROBERT BURGER
A JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC., PUBLICATION
Copyrightr2009byJohnWiley&Sons,Inc.Allrightsreserved.
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData:
Burger,JohnRobert,1940-
Humanmemorymodeledwithstandardanaloganddigitalcircuits:inspiration
forman-madecomputers/JohnRobertBurger.
p.cm.
Includesindex.
ISBN978-0-470-42435-3(cloth)
1. Memory–Computersimulation.2. Artificialintelligence.I. Title.
QP406.B872009
612.8u23312–dc22
2008047051
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is dedicated to my children, Terry and Heather
The author thanks his lovely spouse, Leone Lucille Burger,
for her helpful encouragement

CONTENTS
PREFACE xiii
1 BRAIN BEHAVIOR POINTS THE WAY 1
Introduction 1
Modeling 2
Why Thinking Dissipates So Few Calories 5
The Miracle of Parallel Processing 7
Singularity 8
The Benefits of Reading This Book 10
Overview of the Book 12
Applications of the Models in the Book 16
Conclusions 23
Exercises 25
2 NEURAL MEMBRANES AND ANIMAL ELECTRICITY 27
Introduction 27
The Physical Neuron 28
Ionic Solutions and Stray Electrons 36
Nernst Voltage 39
Ion-Channel Model 44
Applications 54
vii
viii CONTENTS
Conclusions 56
Exercises 57
3 NEURAL PULSES AND NEURAL MEMORY 61
Introduction 61
Derivation of a Neural Pulse Using Basic Physics 63
Neuron Signal Propagation 72
Modeling Neurons as Adiabatic 77
Neurons for Memory 79
Applications 86
Conclusions 87
Exercises 88
Appendix: Asymptotically Adiabatic Circuits 90
4 CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS FOR MEMORIZATION
AND RECALL 93
Introduction 93
Psychological Considerations When Modeling Human Memory 94
Basic Assumptions to Create a Model 96
Short-Term Memory and Consciousness 98
Cognitive Architecture 100
Discussion of the Model 105
Enabled Neural Logic 107
Models for Memorization 115
Applications 119
Conclusions 120
Exercises 121
5 DENDRITIC PROCESSING AND HUMAN LEARNING 125
Introduction 125
Biological Versus Artificial Neural Networks 127
Dendrites 129
Neurons for Combinational Learning 138
Neurons for State-Machine Learning 140
Learning Circuits 141
Dendritic Processing Models 143
Enabled Logic Directly at the Soma 150
Comments on the Adiabatic Nature of Dendrites 153