Asakawa Laboratory
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Graduate School of Engineering, Gunma University

Bio-base... Bio-inspired.. NMR/MRI

Bio-inspired devices

Problems with artificial neural networks originate from their deterministic nature and inevitable prior learnings, resulting in inadequate adaptability against unpredictable, abrupt environmental change. Here we show that a stochastically excitable threshold unit can be utilized by these systems to partially overcome the environmental change. Using an excitable threshold system, attractors were created that represent quasi-equilibrium states into which a system settles until disrupted by environmental change. Furthermore, noise-driven attractor stabilization and switching were embodied by inhibitory connections. Noise works as a power source to stabilize and switch attractors, and endows the system with hysteresis behavior that resembles that of stereopsis and binocular rivalry in the human visual cortex. A canonical model of the ring network with inhibitory connections composed of class 1 neurons also shows properties that are similar to the simple threshold system.

See N.Asakawa et al., Phys.Rev.E, 79, 021902 for the details.

Posted on: 04.01.2009.