2014/04/30 by Peter A. van der Helm
Computer Science · Engineering · Neuroscience · #Exponential function #Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices #Neural Networks and Reservoir Computing #Neural dynamics and brain function #Perception #Power (physics) #Quantum #Quantum computer #Quantum information #String (physics) #Synchronization (alternating current) #Transient (computer programming) #cs.AI
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s10462-015-9429-7
38 pages (incl. Appendix with proofs), 10 figures, Supplementary Material (incl. algorithm) available at http://perswww.kuleuven.be/~u0084530/doc/pisa.html. Minor revision: added 2 figures, 7 references, and a few clarifications
arxiv created 2015/02/15 · arxiv updated 2015/04/17 · openalex publication_date 2015/04/24 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Inspired by the extraordinary computing power promised by quantum computers, the quantum mind hypothesis postulated that quantum mechanical phenomena are the source of neuronal synchronization, which, in turn, might underlie consciousness. Here, I present an alternative inspired by a classical computing method with quantum power. This method relies on special distributed representations called hyperstrings. Hyperstrings are superpositions of up to an exponential number of strings, which -- by a single-processor classical computer -- can be evaluated in a transparallel fashion, that is, simultaneously as if only one string were concerned. Building on a neurally plausible model of human visual perceptual organization, in which hyperstrings are formal counterparts of transient neural assemblies, I postulate that synchronization in such assemblies is a manifestation of transparallel information processing. This accounts for the high combinatorial capacity and speed of human visual perceptual organization and strengthens ideas that self-organizing cognitive architecture bridges the gap between neurons and consciousness.