(Phys.org)—A team of researchers with members from France, Japan and the U.S. has created a nanoscale magnetic device that mimics the behavior of neurons and can be used to recognize human audio signals. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes how they built their device, how it works and how accurate they found its results. Frank Hoppensteadt with the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences offers a News & Views piece on the work done by the team and outlines the ideas behind neuromorphic (brain-like) computers and how some of them are being created.