World's largest supercomputer designed and built to work like a human brain is switched on for the first time

世界上最大的超级计算机首次启动，其工作方式与人脑类似

The world's largest supercomputer which can complete more than 200 million million actions per second has been switched on for the first time.

世界上最大的超级计算机首次启动，每秒可完成200万亿次运算。

The £15 million ($19.5 million) computer, which is designed and built to work like a human brain, had its landmark one-millionth processor core fitted this week.

该计算机耗资1500万英镑(合1950万美元)，设计和制造原理是为了让它能像人脑一样工作，本周具有里程碑意义的第一百万个处理器内核完成安装。

Dubbed the SpiNNaker machine, it can model more neurons in real time than any other machine on the planet.

The supercomputer will help scientists better understand how neurological diseases like Parkinson's impact the brain.

这台超级计算机被称为“SpiNNaker”(大三角帆)，比地球上任何一台机器都能实时模拟更多的神经元，将帮助科学家们更好地了解帕金森等神经系统疾病是如何影响大脑的。

Researchers at the University of Manchester spent more than 10 years constructing SpiNNaker.

曼彻斯特大学的研究人员花了10多年时间来打造“SpiNNaker”。

Each of the computer's chips has 100 million moving parts, and are designed to mimic the neurons of the human brain.

这台计算机的每一块芯片都有1亿个活动部件，用来模拟人脑神经元。

Project scientist Professor Steve Furber said: 'SpiNNaker completely re-thinks the way conventional computers work.

'We've essentially created a machine that works more like a brain than a traditional computer, which is extremely exciting.

'The ultimate objective for the project has always been a million cores in a single computer for real time brain modelling applications, and we have now achieved it, which is fantastic.'

参与该项目的科学家史蒂夫·福伯教授称:“‘SpiNNaker’重新定义了传统计算机的工作方式。我们实际上创造了一台工作方式更像大脑的机器，而不是传统的计算机，这非常令人激动。该项目的最终目标是在一台计算机上安装一百万个内核，以实时模拟大脑应用。现在我们已经做到了，这简直难以置信。”

Biological neurons are basic brain cells present in the nervous system that communicate primarily by emitting 'spikes' of electrical energy.

生物神经元是存在于神经系统中的基本脑细胞，主要通过释放“脉冲”信号进行交流。

Neuromorphic computing uses large scale computer systems containing electronic circuits to mimic these spikes in a machine.

神经形态计算利用包含电子电路的大型计算机系统来模拟这些“脉冲”信号。

SpiNNaker is unique because, unlike traditional computers, it doesn't communicate by sending large amounts of information from point A to B via a standard network.

Instead it mimics the massively parallel communication architecture of the brain, sending billions of small amounts of information simultaneously to thousands of different destinations.

SpiNNaker的独特之处在于，与传统计算机不同，它不通过标准网络将大量信息从A点发送到B点来进行交流。相反，它模拟了大脑的大规模并行交流架构，同时把数十亿小量信息发送到成千上万个不同的目的地。

The computer's creators eventually aim to model up to a billion biological neurons in real time and are now a step closer.

To give an idea of scale, a mouse brain consists of around 100 million neurons and the human brain is 1,000 times bigger than that.

这台计算机的发明者的最终目标是实时模拟多达10亿个生物神经元，他们现在离目标更近了一步。为了帮助你建立神经元规模的概念，我们举个例子：一只老鼠的大脑由大约 1 亿个神经元构成，而人类大脑大约是老鼠的 1000 倍大小。

One billion neurons is 1 per cent of the scale of the human brain, which consists of just under 100 billion brain cells, or neurons.

10亿个神经元相当于人脑规模的1%，人脑由略低于1000亿个脑细胞或神经元组成。

One of the computer's core uses is to help neuroscientists better understand how our own brain works.

It does this by running extremely large scale real-time simulations which aren't possible on other machines.

该计算机的核心用途之一是帮助神经科学家更好地理解我们人类的大脑是如何工作的。它可以通过运行极端大规模的实时模拟来实现这一点，而这对于其它机器而言基本是不可能的。

For example, SpiNNaker has been used to simulate high-level real-time processing in a range of isolated brain networks.

This includes an 80,000 neuron model of a segment of the cortex, the outer layer of the brain that receives and processes information from the senses.

例如，SpiNNaker已经被用于在一系列独立的大脑网络中模拟高级实时处理。其中包括大脑皮质片段的 80000 个神经元，接收和处理来自感官信息的大脑外层。

It also has simulated a region of the brain called the Basal Ganglia - an area affected in Parkinson's disease, meaning it has massive potential for neurological breakthroughs in science such as pharmaceutical testing.

它还模拟了大脑的一个被称为基底神经节的区域，这个区域和帕金森氏症有关，这意味着在药物测试等科学领域具有巨大的神经学突破潜力。

英国每日邮报读者评论：

译文来源：三泰虎 http://www.santaihu.com/46576.html   译者：Jessica.Wu

外文：https://www.dailymail.co.uk

David, London, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

I was wondering if they need another one, so it is like the two hemispheres of the brain, one doing logic and reason, and the other doing beauty and form.

我想知道它是否需要另一个脑半球，就像大脑的两个半球一样，一个负责逻辑和推理，另一个负责审美和形式。

null, 3 weeks ago

Only £15 million. Can't be that good.

只花了1500万英镑，不可能有那么厉害。

Avanice, Arbourdale, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

Interesting that no one has said, "Well done, magnificent achievement, proud of the people who have done this." Well, I am saying it. I trust it will all work well.

有趣的是，居然没有人说“干得好，了不起的成就，为这些人感到骄傲。”之类的话。我会这么说的，并相信一切都会顺利的。

Leo, Loma Linda, United States, 3 weeks ago

"The ultimate objective for the project has always been a million cores in a single computer..." - does this mean a million blue screens of death if they install Windows 10 on it, too?

“这个项目的最终目标是在一台电脑上安装100万个内核”-这是否意味着，如果他们在这电脑上安装Windows 10系统，就会有100万次蓝屏死机?

sawsa, Exeter, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

Will be nicked in a couple days.

过几天就会被山寨的。

David, London, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

It will probably have Asperger's and a terrapin fixation.

它可能也会患阿斯伯格综合症（类似自闭症）。

J.C Webster, Åmli, Norway, 3 weeks ago

If it works like a human it may believe in God.

如果它像人脑一样工作，那它可能也会信上帝。

DannyUK, UK, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

Ask it what the lottery numbers are what predictions it can make please.

请问它能不能预测彩票号码？它都能做什么预测？

Badfoot, Haunsmoor, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

Coming soon,Terminators crashing through you're front door.

马上就要来了，终结者马上就要冲进你的大门了。

Alastair, London, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

Note to the evil doers who aim to make AI. The thing your create will have about as much respect for you as you have your creator.

提醒一下那些制造人工智能的恶人，你们创造的东西将会让你们自食其果。

Alastair, London, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

"help scientists better understand how neurological diseases like Parkinson's impact the brain" yeah right.

没错，能帮助科学家们更好地了解帕金森等神经系统疾病是如何影响大脑的。

Freeman88, Perth, Australia, 3 weeks ago

Just because we can do a thing, doesn't mean we should. Like building nuclear weapons. Well meaning but otherwise ethically bankrupt。

我们有能力做一件事，并不意味着我们应该去做，比如制造核武器，本意是好的，但在其他方面却道德沦丧。

Rudolf Hucker, England and France, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

Just because the brain can be modeled, does make it even close to self aware. Its stil 0s, 1s and NAND gates

可以模拟大脑，它会更接近有自我意识。

DolittlE3, douglas, 3 weeks ago

If it took ten years, will it not be out of date. ?

如果还要花10年时间才能实现最终目标的话，这计算机不会过时吗?

Ug, Exeter, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

as this is unique it cannot by definition be obsolete.

@ DolittlE3它是独一无二的，无所谓过时。

Rudolf Hucker, England and France, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

It is being constantly modified and evolved

@ DolittlE3它也在不断地改进和发展。

seen it before, wales, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

One day they will announce they have turned a supercomputer on.......but they will try to keep secret the computer will not ever let them turn it back off again.

但是他们会守住这个秘密：这台计算机不会再让他们关机。

Rudolf Hucker, England and France, United Kingdom, 3 weeks ago

Pull the mains. Very simple

@seen it before，很简单，直接拔电源。

WhiteKnight76, Sydney, Australia, 3 weeks ago

I wonder if it sounds like a Boeing Jet, or like a F-22/35. My mates computer has so many fans when it is turned on it's like a sequence of connected events powering one big unit. Power.

我想知道它运行时会不会有波音飞机那么大的动静，或者F-22/35。

WhiteKnight76, Sydney, Australia, 3 weeks ago

Mad!

太疯狂了！

Jack Doff, Beside the Seaside, Australia, 3 weeks ago

Can I check my email on it?

我能用它查电子邮件吗?

Jack Doff, Beside the Seaside, Australia, 3 weeks ago

Obsolete.

过时了。

VGR, Sydney, Australia, 3 weeks ago

They should've called Skynet

应该叫“天网”

Laval Bear, Sydney, Australia, 3 weeks ago

To better understand Parkinson decease ? Bull s* hit! It's for their evil agen da. We are on our way to Trans- human if it doesn't take over and control us before it happens. We are doomed.

为了更好地了解帕金森病?胡说!这是为了他们邪恶的计划。

scottishterrier, sydney australia, 3 weeks ago

How long does the battery last ?

电池能用多久?