Imroatul Nasiyah
Researchers at Skoltech have pioneered a groundbreaking mathematical model that delves into the intricate workings of memory, yielding provocative findings that could revolutionize our understanding of the human mind, and significantly advance the capabilities of robotic systems and artificial intelligence. The study, published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports, posits a fascinating hypothesis: that there might exist an ideal number of sensory inputs for optimal cognitive function, and if this theory holds true, our commonly accepted five senses might be leaving us with untapped potential.
Professor Nikolay Brilliantov, a co-author of the study and a leading figure in Skoltech AI, articulated the speculative yet compelling nature of their conclusions. "Our conclusion is of course highly speculative in application to human senses, although you never know: It could be that humans of the future would evolve a sense of radiation or magnetic field," Professor Brilliantov stated. He continued, "But in any case, our findings may be of practical importance for robotics and the theory of artificial intelligence. It appears that when each concept retained in memory is characterized in terms of seven features—as opposed to, say, five or eight—the number of distinct objects held in memory is maximized."
This research builds upon a long-standing tradition in cognitive science, dating back to the early 20th century, which focuses on modeling the fundamental building blocks of memory, known as "engrams." An engram is conceptually understood as a transient and sparse activation pattern within a network of neurons distributed across various brain regions. Each engram is a unique representation of a concept, intricately defined by a specific set of features. For human cognition, these features are intrinsically linked to our sensory experiences. For instance, the abstract concept of a "banana" is not merely a visual representation; it encompasses its unique texture, its characteristic aroma, its distinctive taste, and a constellation of other sensory attributes. Within this theoretical framework, the banana transforms into a five-dimensional object residing within a complex mental landscape that encapsulates all the memories meticulously stored within the brain.
The dynamic nature of engrams is a crucial aspect of their function. These neural patterns are not static; they evolve and transform over time. Their sharpness or diffusion is directly influenced by the frequency with which they are activated by incoming sensory data from the external environment. This intricate process serves as the underlying mechanism for how we acquire new knowledge, adapt to our surroundings, and, conversely, how we learn and ultimately forget information through our continuous interaction with the world.
Professor Brilliantov elaborated on the mathematical underpinnings of this evolutionary process. "We have mathematically demonstrated that the engrams in the conceptual space tend to evolve toward a steady state, which means that after some transient period, a ‘mature’ distribution of engrams emerges, which then persists in time," he explained. "As we consider the ultimate capacity of a conceptual space of a given number of dimensions, we somewhat surprisingly find that the number of distinct engrams stored in memory in the steady state is the greatest for a concept space of seven dimensions. Hence the seven senses claim."
In simpler terms, the researchers propose that if we consider the objects present in the external world as being describable by a finite set of features that correspond to the dimensions of a conceptual space, and if our goal is to maximize the capacity of this conceptual space—defined by the number of distinct concepts it can represent—then the overall understanding of the world deepens with greater capacity. Their findings indicate that this maximum capacity is achieved when the conceptual space possesses seven dimensions. This mathematical optimization leads them to the compelling conclusion that seven represents the optimal number of sensory inputs for the brain.
A significant aspect of this discovery is its apparent robustness. According to the Skoltech researchers, this optimal number of seven is not contingent on the specific nuances of their model, such as the inherent properties of the conceptual space or the nature of the stimuli that provide sensory impressions. Instead, the number seven emerges as a fundamental and persistent characteristic of memory engrams themselves. The researchers do acknowledge a specific caveat: when multiple engrams of varying sizes are clustered around a common central point, they are interpreted as representing similar concepts. In the context of calculating memory capacity, these similar engrams are treated as a single, unified entity.
The enigma of memory in humans and other living organisms is a profound phenomenon, deeply intertwined with consciousness and various other complex biological processes. The advancement of theoretical models of memory holds immense promise for unlocking deeper insights into the human mind. Furthermore, these theoretical advancements are critically important for the ambitious endeavor of recreating humanlike memory capabilities within artificial intelligence agents, paving the way for more sophisticated and intuitive AI systems. The implications of this research extend far beyond theoretical neuroscience, offering tangible pathways for innovation in fields striving to replicate or enhance cognitive functions. The possibility of an expanded sensory repertoire, even if it remains hypothetical for humans, opens up exciting avenues for designing robots and AI that can perceive and process information in more nuanced and efficient ways, potentially leading to breakthroughs in fields ranging from advanced robotics and autonomous systems to personalized medicine and cognitive prosthetics. The seven-sense hypothesis, while speculative for human evolution, provides a powerful theoretical framework for designing artificial systems that can learn and adapt with unprecedented sophistication.
