International Business Machine Corporation revealed a "brain-like" computer the size of a postage stamp able to receive and process enormous amounts of information.

The incredible achievement brings mankind one step closer to building a computer similar to our brain.

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The unveiling comes in the wake of IBM's investment of US$3 billion over a period of five years in microchip research and development. IBM aims to make paradigm shifting advances that can resuscitate its sinking hardware units, according to Reuters.

The IBM-developed chip, unlike others of its kind that operate on pre-coded paths, processes the information in real time and is able to cope with uncertainties in the data.

The chip, which the company dubbed "TrueNorth," could fit the processes that a supercomputer can accomplish into a microprocessor the size of a postage stamp.

The chip is based Samsung Electro-Mechanics' 28 nm process technology.

In effect, the chip only requires an energy input of 70 mW, which is equivalent to the energy consumption of a hearing aid.

The chip, which has almost a decade of research put into it, intends to fill in the gap between current computers and the low energy use and high cognitive power of the brain.

"After years of collaboration with IBM, we are now a step closer to building a computer similar to our brain," said Professor Rajit Manohar at Cornell Tech, where the chip was designed.

The one million programmable neurons contained in the chip that could enable devices such as a thermometer to scan for and detect chemical signals and offer a preliminary diagnosis. It could also aid robots in search and rescue operations identify individuals that need help during disasters.

IBM intends to merge the multi-sensory processing with future mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The company also said the developed hardware can cope with future progress in 3G integration, sensor, logic and memory technologies.

TagsResearch, Computers, Computer chip, computer chip research, IBM Corp, Supercomputers, brain, brain function