Have you heard of TrueNorth? It’s the recently unveiled smart chip from IBM that contains 5.4 billion transistors and uses only 70 milliwatts of power, according to a recent article from Inc. As a comparison, the modern Intel processor contains 1.4 billion transistors and draws more than 140 watts. But it’s not just the power-saving features of the chip that make it poised for great things. It’s what the chip can do.

The idea for TrueNorth was first pondered six years ago and IBM and university researchers intended for it to mimic human biology, the article stated. Like a brain, the chip works by way of interconnected transmitters. It’s able to group data by patterns and identify when something is out of place.

Potential practical uses for the technology include alerting stores when something or someone is out of place, or in a hospital environment by sensing odors from certain bacteria. The chip may also be used in sensors on buoys, able to alert lifeguards when someone swims too far out to sea. The technology could scan credit applications, looking for red flags, and it could be used in self-driven cars to sense traffic.

The small amount of wattage used has the potential to create a more efficient cloud, the article notes, which would dramatically decrease the amount of power and cooling required at data centers.

It will be exciting to see what the world will do with this invention and how it will help us all. In the meantime, for solid infrastructure and dependable support at a highly advanced and secure data center, Global IP Networks is here. For more information, contact us.