Researchers from the University of Waterloo in Canada have built the world’s largest model of a functioning brain, consisting of 2.5 million simulated neurons.
Called “Spaun” or “Semantic Pointer Architecture Unified Network,” the model gives scientists insight into “how the complex activity of the brain gives rise to the complex behavior exhibited by animals, including humans,” according to a release.
Much like a human brain, Spaun uses the network of neurons to process visual images, which then controls an arm that draws its answers to different tasks.
“This is the first model that begins to get at how our brains can perform a wide variety of tasks in a flexible manner –- how the brain coordinates the flow of information between different areas to exhibit complex behavior,” Chris Eliasmith, director of Waterloo’s Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience, said in a statement.
To see Spaun in action, check out the video above.