SAEDNEWS: A new study by Caltech reveals that our brain processes information at a remarkably slow rate of about 10 bits per second, whereas our sensory systems collect data approximately 100 million times faster.
According to SaedNews, it is often said that the human brain is the most powerful computer in the world with unmatched efficiency. But how fast does our brain actually work in computational terms? Caltech biologists have now calculated the speed of human thought in bits. (In digital terms, one bit is a zero or one, and a string of bits is used to encode information.)
In their new study, the researchers first decided to define a bit in human terms, which varies based on the specific mode of information processing. For example, in reading and writing, they defined a bit as a text character, and in listening to speech, it is essentially a sound.
For writing, they started their experiment with a professional typist example who can type at 120 words per minute, with an average of 5 characters per word, which comes to about 10 keystrokes or bits per second. For speech, the recommended rate to ensure comprehension is up to 160 words per minute, which, using the same formula, is equivalent to 13 bits per second.
The team members then calculated similar bit rates for various human information processing tasks, including solving a Rubik's cube at world-record speed (11.8 bits per second), digit memorization challenges (4.9 bits per second), professional Tetris playing (7 bits per second), and speed card challenge (viewing a deck of cards and recalling them in order) (17.7 bits per second).
The team concluded that around 10 bits per second is a good average speed for human thought, which is very slow compared to artificial data transmission systems (e.g., Wi-Fi speeds are usually measured in hundreds of millions of bits).
Our thought speed is even slower compared to our own hardware components, including sensory organs and the nervous system. According to the team's calculations, a single cone photoreceptor in the human eye can transmit information at about 270 bits per second, which translates to 1.6 billion bits per second per eye. The optic nerve compresses this to about 100 million bits per second. However, this still makes our thought speed look insignificant, especially given the massive volume of input entering the brain from our other senses at the same time.
Markus Meister, the study's lead author, said: "At any moment, we extract only 10 bits from trillions of sensory inputs and use those 10 bits to understand the world around us and make decisions." According to the team, individual neurons have the capacity for much faster data speeds, but they typically operate at about 10 bits per second in practice.
This may be a legacy from our ancient ancestors, who only needed to focus on moving towards food and away from predators. Thus, we can really only have one "train of thought" at the forefront of our minds at a time.
The article continues: "Our ancestors chose an ecological niche where the world was slow enough to make survival possible. In fact, 10 bits per second is only needed in the worst conditions, and most of the time, our environment changes at a much slower rate."
However, the implications for future technology are somewhat concerning. According to the researchers, computers, robots, and AI process information much faster than we do and will only get faster over time. The article continues: "The debate over whether self-driving cars can perform as well as humans in traffic seems strange: roads, bridges, and intersections are all designed for creatures with brains that process at 10 bits per second. Once the last human driver retires, we can upgrade the infrastructure for machines with cognitive power in kilobits per second. At that point, humans will be advised to avoid such tasks, just as snails should avoid moving on highways." This is bad news for those hoping to enhance their cognitive abilities with AI using systems like Elon Musk's Neuralink. No matter how fast computers become, our complex hardware will continue to operate at this speed.
Another section of the article reads: "Based on research into human cognitive speed, we predict that Elon Musk's brain communicates with computers at about 10 bits per second. Instead of using a bunch of Neuralink electrodes, Musk could use a phone designed with data rates that match human language, which in turn matches the speed of perception and cognition."
However, this study requires more numbers. Brain bits and computer bits are not precisely comparable. Quantifying bits for different human activities is challenging.
Nonetheless, it is a fascinating study that makes you think—though not as fast as computers!
