20110819

“New Computer Chip Modeled on a Living Brain Can Learn and Remember”(Popular Science), IBM, with help from DARPA, has built two working prototypes of a “neurosynaptic chip.” Based on the neurons and synapses of the brain, these first-generation cognitive computing cores could represent a major leap in power, speed and efficiency. (snip) Built on 45 nanometer silicon/metal oxide semiconductor platform, both chips have 256 neurons. One chip has 262,144 programmable synapses and the other contains 65,536 learning synapses — which can remember and learn from their own actions.

『火力発電８基故障…原発補う連続運転で』(読売新聞)，火力発電所の「停止ラッシュ」は、原子力発電所の相次ぐ停止を補うため、電力各社が火力発電の運転時間を延ばしていることが主因だ。 (snip) 原発はいったん運転に入ると昼夜を問わず一定の出力が続く仕組みだが、火力発電は比較的、運転と停止の切り替えがしやすい。このため、電力需要のピーク時に原発の不足分を補うよう主に昼間動かし、夜間や週末は休ませる使い方が多い。