nonsensical notes for future fiction
Computing power of the human brain:
1) Long-term storage capacity: 1137 terabytes
2) Short-term storage capacity (RAM): 57 terabytes
3) Processor speed: 4.4 – 10 teraflops +
4) Power consumption (average): 12 watts
Emergent behavior (I think) will be determined by the interaction between short-term and long-term memory, and by the network that handles that interaction. The onset of emergent behavior will require more than massively parallel or neural networks; it will require dynamic, self-reforming networks. The best possibility for this, barring the development of organic technology, would be static networks using a software layer that allows protocols to be established and altered dynamically.
The difficulty in mimicking human neural behavior in computing comes not only in being able to mimic the neural structure, but in being able to compete with the brain's economy of energy and space. I can only think of three ways to possibly achieve this:
1) organic technology, including nanotech
2) quantum/sub-atomic computing
3) ultra-dense optical processing
The latter seems the likeliest at the moment. I'd have to see processor stats, however, once optical processors are in existence and stable.