The screenshot shows the China-developed chip Tianjic has made the cover of the leading scientific journal Nature. (Photo: China Plus)

Scientists in China have developed a ground-breaking chip that mimics the behavior of brain cells, in research that has made the cover of the leading scientific journal Nature.

The chip, called the Tianjic, was developed by Shi Luping and his colleagues at the Center for Brain Inspired Computing Research at Tsinghua University. It is the second-generation of a hybrid processor that integrates machine-learning algorithms with brain cell-inspired circuits.

Traditionally, there are two main approaches to developing artificial intelligence. One is rooted in neuroscience, and attempts to construct circuits that closely mimic the brain. The other is grounded in computer science, and relies on machine learning algorithms. The Tianjic chip incorporates both approaches, which is why it has been called a hybrid processor.

The first generation of the Tianjic chip was developed in 2015. This was followed by the current second generation chip in 2017, which features higher performance and much lower power consumption. The latest chip was tested by being incorporated into an autonomous bicycle that taught itself to balance, track obstacles, follow voice commands, and make decisions about directions.

When the research was published on Thursday, it became the first article on chips and artificial intelligence written by scientists in China to make it onto on the cover of Nature.