Experimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired robotics

Abstract The sensory nervous system in animals enables the perception of external stimuli. Developing an artificial sensory nervous system has been widely conducted to realize neuro-inspired robots capable of effectively responding to external stimuli. However, it remains challenging to develop arti...

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Main Authors: See-On Park, Hakcheon Jeong, Seokho Seo, Youna Kwon, Jongwon Lee, Shinhyun Choi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60818-x
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author See-On Park
Hakcheon Jeong
Seokho Seo
Youna Kwon
Jongwon Lee
Shinhyun Choi
author_facet See-On Park
Hakcheon Jeong
Seokho Seo
Youna Kwon
Jongwon Lee
Shinhyun Choi
author_sort See-On Park
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The sensory nervous system in animals enables the perception of external stimuli. Developing an artificial sensory nervous system has been widely conducted to realize neuro-inspired robots capable of effectively responding to external stimuli. However, it remains challenging to develop artificial sensory nervous systems that possess sophisticated biological functions, such as habituation and sensitization, enabling efficient responses without bulky peripheral circuitry. Here, we introduce a memristor device with third-order switching complexity, emulating an artificial synapse that inherently possesses habituation and sensitization properties. Incorporating an additional resistive switching TiOx layer into the HfO2 memristor exhibits third-order switching complexity and non-volatile habituation characteristics. Based on the third-order memristor, we propose a robotic system equipped with a memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for optimizing the robot arm’s response to external stimuli without the aid of processors. It is experimentally demonstrated that the robot arm with the developed memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system ignores approximately 71% of safe and familiar stimuli while sensitively responding to threatening and significant stimuli, similar to the habituation and sensitization of biological sensory nervous systems. Our findings can be a stepping stone for energy-efficient and intelligent robotic systems with reduced hardware burden.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-9c28f7df2faa4d27bf3a420e8102347c2025-08-20T04:01:35ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-60818-xExperimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired roboticsSee-On Park0Hakcheon Jeong1Seokho Seo2Youna Kwon3Jongwon Lee4Shinhyun Choi5School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)School of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)Nano Convergence Technology Division, National Nanofab Center (NNFC)Department of Semiconductor Convergence, Chungnam National UniversitySchool of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)Abstract The sensory nervous system in animals enables the perception of external stimuli. Developing an artificial sensory nervous system has been widely conducted to realize neuro-inspired robots capable of effectively responding to external stimuli. However, it remains challenging to develop artificial sensory nervous systems that possess sophisticated biological functions, such as habituation and sensitization, enabling efficient responses without bulky peripheral circuitry. Here, we introduce a memristor device with third-order switching complexity, emulating an artificial synapse that inherently possesses habituation and sensitization properties. Incorporating an additional resistive switching TiOx layer into the HfO2 memristor exhibits third-order switching complexity and non-volatile habituation characteristics. Based on the third-order memristor, we propose a robotic system equipped with a memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for optimizing the robot arm’s response to external stimuli without the aid of processors. It is experimentally demonstrated that the robot arm with the developed memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system ignores approximately 71% of safe and familiar stimuli while sensitively responding to threatening and significant stimuli, similar to the habituation and sensitization of biological sensory nervous systems. Our findings can be a stepping stone for energy-efficient and intelligent robotic systems with reduced hardware burden.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60818-x
spellingShingle See-On Park
Hakcheon Jeong
Seokho Seo
Youna Kwon
Jongwon Lee
Shinhyun Choi
Experimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired robotics
Nature Communications
title Experimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired robotics
title_full Experimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired robotics
title_fullStr Experimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired robotics
title_full_unstemmed Experimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired robotics
title_short Experimental demonstration of third-order memristor-based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro-inspired robotics
title_sort experimental demonstration of third order memristor based artificial sensory nervous system for neuro inspired robotics
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60818-x
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