Chinese researchers unveil Darwin Monkey, the world's largest brain computer.

247 - Researchers in China unveiled on Saturday the Darwin Monkey, considered the largest brain-computer ever built in the world. This information was... published by Global TimesThe system, also called Wukong, is a new generation of neuromorphic computer that simulates the functioning of a monkey's brain and represents a significant advance for both artificial intelligence and neuroscience research.

The Darwin Monkey was developed by the State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence at Zhejiang University in Zhejiang Province, eastern China. It is capable of supporting more than 2 billion artificial neurons and 100 billion synapses, a number approaching that of a rhesus monkey's brain. According to the Science and Technology DailyThe computer consumes approximately 2 watts under normal operating conditions.

Neuromorphic technology seeks to replicate the functioning of biological neural networks in computer systems, offering high parallelism, low energy consumption, and greater efficiency in complex tasks. Until now, the largest neuromorphic computer was Intel's Hala Point, launched in April 2024, with 1,15 billion simulated neurons.

Wukong utilizes 960 Darwin 3 chips, third-generation neuromorphic processors, mounted on 15 servers in a blade-like format. Each chip supports over 2,35 million pulsating neurons and hundreds of millions of synapses, in addition to having specific instructions for brain computing and real-time neuromorphic learning mechanisms. The team also developed an operating system inspired by brain function, allowing it to run intelligent applications such as the DeepSeek model, capable of performing logical reasoning tasks, content generation, and solving mathematical problems.

According to Pan Gang, project leader and director of the laboratory in Zhejiang, Darwin Monkey offers a new computational paradigm:

"The system can serve as a foundation for the development of artificial intelligence, act as a brain simulation tool for neuroscientists, and create new experimental methods to explore the mechanisms of the brain."He stated that by mimicking neural functioning and operating at speeds superior to those of the human brain, the platform reduces the need for biological experiments and paves the way for advances in understanding the mind.

In addition to scientific applications, Wukong also has the potential to boost artificial intelligence in tasks that require rapid learning and large-scale operations, while maintaining low energy consumption. For researchers, this technology ushers in a new era of computers capable of approaching biological reasoning and expanding the reach of research in neuroscience and AI.