Cognitive Processing Hardware Elements

The purpose of the proposed research is to identify and develop cognitive information processing systems and algorithms that can be implemented with novel architectures and devices with the goal of achieving high-speed decision making and cognitive responses to sensory inputs, based on current and prior experience. The research will focus on memory, i.e. the development of a "human-like" cognitive memory. Although memory is only a single component of a cognitive information processing system, it is a crucial and central component, one that is essential for learning. This research will identify and select high-value DoD-based cognitive processing problems whose solutions would be enabled from use of cognitive memory. Such a memory will be designed, simulated, and tested with DoD problems involving pattern recognition, data retrieval, sensor fusion, etc. Analysis of the cognitive memory architecture will be made in order to compare speed and efficiency when implemented with custom hardware versus COTS components.