Regarding the workings of the human mind, memory
and pattern recognition seem to be intertwined. You
generally do not have one without the other. Taking
inspiration from life experience, a new form of computer
memory has been devised. Certain conjectures about
human memory are keys to the central idea. The design of
a practical and useful “cognitive” memory system is
contemplated, a memory system that may also serve as a
model for many aspects of human memory. The new
memory does not function like a computer memory where
specific data is stored in specific numbered registers and
retrieval is done by reading the contents of the specified
memory register, or done by matching key words as with a
document search. Incoming sensory data would be stored
at the next available empty memory location, and indeed
could be stored redundantly at several empty locations.
The stored sensory data would neither have key words nor
would it be located in known or specified memory
locations. Sensory inputs concerning a single object or
subject are stored together as vectors in a single “file
folder” or “memory folder.” When the contents of the
folder are retrieved, sights, sounds, tactile feel, smell, etc.,
are obtained all at the same time. Sensor fusion is a
memory phenomenon. The sensory signals are not fused,
but they are simply recorded together in the same folder
and retrieved together. Retrieval would be initiated by a
prompt signal from a current set of sensory inputs or
patterns. A search through the memory would be made to
locate stored data that correlates with or relates to the
present real-time sensory inputs. The search would be
done by a retrieval system that makes use of autoassociative
artificial neural networks. Applications of
cognitive memory systems have been made to visual
aircraft identification, aircraft navigation, and human
facial recognition. Other applications to speech recognition
and control systems are being explored.