Electrolyte-Gated Organic Field-Effect Transistor (EGOFET). University of Glasgow
Artificial vision powers next-gen technologies like self-driving cars and security systems. However, its power consumption and environmental impact are becoming serious problems.
An international team of researchers led by the University of Glasgow has tried to adopt a more sustainable approach.
They have come up with a new artificial vision system inspired by the human brain – and powered in part by honey. This new device called Electrolyte-Gated Organic Field-Effect Transistor (EGOFET) is energy-efficient as well as helps in reducing electronic waste.
“Our device’s ultra-low power consumption and sustainable materials could pave the way for eco-friendly, scalable artificial vision systems in the years to come,” said Theodoros Serghiou of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering.
New eco-friendly device
The current artificial vision systems rely on silicon-based technology, which requires a lot of computing power and energy. This not only contributes to high running costs but also generates a substantial amount of electronic waste.
The new device mimics the way our own eyes and brains work. It can sense light, process information, and store memories all in one tiny unit.
Moreover, this device can remember information even after the power is turned off — a characteristic called non-volatility.
Its ability to quickly process visual data makes this device promising for applications needing real-time vision, such as self-flying drones and intelligent security systems.
“In conventional computing, there’s an inherent latency from having to fetch and transfer data in CMOS-based systems due to the physical separation between the processing and memory units,” Serghiou explained.
“Our new memory-based device, however, performs these functions simultaneously in-memory, similar to how synapses in the human brain work, helping to overcome the bottlenecks of conventional systems,” the author added.
Energy efficient
This new device uses eco-friendly, biodegradable, and recyclable materials to process and store color information with minimal energy consumption.
The prototype device is constructed using a glass base, gold electrodes, a light-sensitive organic layer (perylene), and honey as an electrolyte.
This photodetector system generates electrical signals (“spikes”) that change based on light’s color and brightness. These signals program memory states that the system retains even when powered off.
The EGOFET is incredibly energy efficient. It only needs 2.4 picojoules (a very tiny amount of energy) for each spike of electrical activity it produces when sensing light. This makes it one of the most energy-efficient devices of its type ever created.
“Our device is able to emulate key synaptic behaviors such as short-term and long-term plasticity, spike-time dependent plasticity and paired-pulse facilitation with high fidelity,” said Jeff Kettle, the corresponding author.
“We plan to scale this single-device prototype into arrays for enhanced image recognition capabilities, which could provide enhanced performance for artificial vision systems before being more sustainably disposed of at the end of their lifecycle,” Kettle added in the press release.
At the end of its life, the device’s glass and gold components can be recycled. On the other hand, the organic parts are designed to biodegrade.
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Apart from the University of Glasgow, the team involved engineers from São Paulo State University (UNESP) and Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
The findings were published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.