Near-real-time simulation of small mammal brain using cognitive computing algorithms with IBM’s BlueGene supercomputer...
C2S2 (Cognitive Computing via Synaptronics and Supercomputing)

A current project of IBM - Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics (SyNAPSE) - is about how to simulate the humain brain with all it´s neurons and synapses, to get a nervous system and a "consciousness" like the one of humain beings. The aim of that project is creating a computer, which is somehow a bit similar to ASIMO, but is in addition also able to feel, to cognize, to interact and to understand like we humans do.
IBM’s cognitive computing research team works together with five universities and will create, in the framework of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) a system which has the ability to develop cognitive abilities.

The C2S2 project concentrates on "research in areas including synaptronics, material science, neuromorphic circuitry, supercomputing simulations and virtual environments the next few months."

But the question is, how long does it really take until "humanoid robots" like asimo are equiped with artificial intelligence, which could replace our human brains? As IBM mentioned, one of the aims of that project is to create a "gloabl brain", which could replace other computer applications and also bring together our knowledge.

To be honest... we don´t know exactly what consciousness is, but we try to copy it for AI and in addition, can such computers grow up and make experiences like we did, and how do we describe or program it?! Let´s assume, it´s possible, that a computer has got the abilities of consciousness, interaction, ... will he/it accept itself as a machine, a computer?