Positronic Brain Issues

TV series like Star Treck (robot Data) and Azimov's Foundation speculate that robots might have positronic brains. In the movies, when people ask these robots about their brain, they, with serious faces, say that they have a positronic brain, not an electronic one. Perhaps they believe that the electronic brain is outdated technology.

Positronic Brain Robot

This kind of brain is physically unrealistic. A positron is an antiparticle of an electron. Positrons are not smaller and cannot provide better performance. So this kind of brain shall have no technological advantage. Moreover, all positrons will immediately annihilate with electrons unless kept somehow isolated, which would make those brains so humongous: maybe the size of a building. No need to even mention how much energy this needs.

Page published: March 27, 2026

Tags: robots brain