Researchers at the University of Sydney have shown that nanowire networks can exhibit both short- and long-term memory, like the human brain. Nanowire networks are a type of nanotechnology made from tiny, highly conductive silver wires, which mimic aspects of the networked physical structure of the human brain. The researchers gave the nanowire network a test similar to a common memory task used in human psychology experiments, called the N-Back task, and found that it could remember a desired endpoint in an electric circuit seven steps back, meaning a score of 7 in an N-Back test. The research could have applications in areas such as robotics or sensor devices that need to make quick decisions in unpredictable environments.
