Researchers from Caltech have found that humans process thoughts at a remarkably slow pace of just 10 bits per second. This stark contrast is revealed in their recent paper, which highlights the disparity between outer brain and inner brain data throughput. The researchers used an information-centric approach to measuring human thinking speed, applying techniques based on information theory.
To put this into perspective, humans’ sensory organs gather data at a billion bits per second, making it difficult for us to process the vast amounts of information we receive from our surroundings. This slow processing speed is thought to be an adaptation that allows humans to conserve energy and survive in environments where data overload is not a significant threat.
The researchers suggest that this “bottleneck” in human thinking may be due to evolutionary pressures, as our ancestors needed to prioritize survival over cognitive capacity. They also propose that the 10 bits per second assessment could have implications for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), potentially leading to faster and more efficient connections between the inner and outer brain processes.
While this finding may seem surprising, it’s not entirely unexpected. The human brain is known to take shortcuts in processing information, such as relying on handedness or visual tricks to fill in missing data. This highlights the brain’s ability to adapt and optimize its functions for energy efficiency.
The study’s findings also raise questions about the potential benefits of low-bandwidth sensory stimulation for more affordable and power-efficient bionics. If machines can stimulate sensory inputs at a low bit rate, it could lead to more efficient and cost-effective brain-machine interfaces.
Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/networking/human-thought-runs-at-just-10-bits-per-second-say-caltech-scientists-thats-why-we-are-mostly-single-taskers