All Optical Parallel Continuous Artificial Neural System

人工神经系统(ANS)是实现“真正的智能”的一种非常有前途的方法。日本人向美国提出挑战，要求美国在这一领域进行为期10年、耗资数十亿美元的合作，他们称之为第六代计算机。其实质是使用多个简单的处理器进行乘法和复杂的互连。光学技术提供了电子学无法企及的三维互连。特别是，本文提出的技术可以实现10E+12个加权互连的并行。此外，它还允许连续时间运行、快速响应、低功耗、低成本和全光。第一阶段的工作是探索全光ANS的潜力和局限性。将研究诸如准确性、速度、稳定性、大小和适应各种ANS范例的能力等问题。在第二阶段，将使用商用部件设计通用ANS，并对其性能进行预测。合同将与节点系统公司签订，这是一家专门为开发光学ANS而创建的公司。其中一位校长H.J.考菲尔德博士在光学计算的所有领域都很出名。华中大学应用光学中心的分包合同提供了进一步的学术支持。

Artificial Neural Systems (ANS) are extremely promising as a way of achieving "true intelligence." The Japanese have challenged the U.S. to a multibillion dollar 10 year cooperative effort in this field which they call the Sixth Generation Computer. The essence is to use many simple processors multiply and complexly interconnected. Optics offers a three dimensionality for interconnects unapproachable by electronics. In particular, the technique proposed here can make 10E + 12 weighted interconnects in parallel. In addition, it allows continuous time operation, fast response, low power consumption, low cost, and all optical. The Phase I effort is an exploration of the potentials and limitations of the all optical ANS. Issues such as accuracy, speed, stability, size, and ability to accommodate various ANS paradigms will be studied. In Phase II a generic ANS will be designed using commericial parts and its performance propertied will be predicted. The contract will be with a Nodal Systems Corporation, a Company created solely to exploit the optical ANS. One of its Principals, Dr. H. J. Caufield, is well known in all fields of optical computing. A subcontract to the Center for Applied Optics of UAH provides further academic support.