The research developed by scientists at Skoltech Insitute of Science and Technology resulted in a mathematical model that explores how memory functions and reveals compelling results that could improve robotic systems, artificial intelligence, and our understanding of how the human mind stores information.
The study findings were published in Scientific Reports and suggest that our five senses might not be sufficient.
The study co-author Professor Nikolay Brilliantov of Skoltech AI stated, "Our conclusion is of course highly speculative in application to human senses. It could be that humans of the future would evolve a sense of radiation or magnetic field but in any case, our findings may be of practical importance for robotics and the theory of artificial intelligence."
The team focused on modeling the basic units of memory known as ‘engrams’, adhering to a paradigm in the early 20th century.
An engram is primarily a neuronal ensemble or cell assembly-a group of neurons that fire together to encode a memory.
Each engram represents a concept described through a series of characteristics.
For humans, these features correspond to sensory experiences-for example the concept of banana includes its appearance, smell, taste and flavor attributes.
In this framework, a banana becomes a super dimensional concept within a mental space containing all the memories stored in the brain.
It has been observed that engrams evolve over time and become more acute or diffuse depending upon how often they are triggered by sensory input from the external world.
On the whole this process represents how we learn and forget as we interact within our environment.
Brilliantov further elucidated on the desired study stating, "As we consider the ultimate capacity of a concept of a given number of dimensions, we somewhat surprisingly find out the number of distinct engrams stored in memory…"
To put it differently, we can say that the objects that exist out there in the world are described by a limited number of features, which correspond to the dimensions of some conceptual space.
If we want to supposedly maximize the capacity of the conceptual space expressed as the number of clear notions associated with these objects, then we must use seven dimensions.
However, the greater capacity of the conceptual space will deepen the entire understanding of the world.
It turns out that the maximum is attained when the dimension of the cognitive realm space is seven. The researchers concluded that seven is the optimal number of senses.
The research further suggests that this number does not depend upon the details of the model, and the number seven figure appears to be a vigorous and persistent feature of memory engrams.
Meanwhile one caveat is that sequences of memory engrams existing around a common center are considered to represent similar concepts and are treated as one for calculating memory capacity.
Nonetheless, the memory of humans and other living beings is an inexplicable occurrence tied to the property of consciousness among other things.
More insights can be drawn once researchers advance the theoretical models of memory influential for recreating human reminiscence in AI agents.
