"Self-Learner" is the New "Self-Starter": Robot Edition

Image: Intel

The future is here. 

When I was a kid, I would always picture the future as having flying cars and robots that would help me out with my chores and do my homework for me. We're not totally there yet, but Intel just introduced a new type of chip that could lead us to that reality.

The company is currently testing out a new "self-learning" chip that is designed to learn just like the human brain. 

The chip is named the "Intel Loihi test chip", but is a type of "neuromorphic" chip that is designed to learn from its environment. While this chip could prove useful in a variety of products, two specific areas will be most impacted: industrial automation and personal robotics. 

The managing director of Intel Labs, Michael Mayberry, says it "includes digital circuits that mimic the basic mechanics in the brain, which could help computers self-organize and make decisions based on patterns and associations".

Intel has plans to continue developing the chip with researchers and universities in the coming year. Who knows- we may have robots helping us with chores and daily tasks sooner than we think!