Human Memory work best with five senses or more senses
A new mathematical model developed by scientists at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology challenges the long-standing assumption.
It challenges the human memory is optimally designed for the five senses.
Instead, suggests that both human and artificial memory systems reach their maximum capacity with seven senses or sensory-like dimensions.
Published in Scientific Reports, this model simulates how memories—
represented as neural patterns called “engrams”—are encoded, strengthened, or forgotten over time across conceptual spaces defined by sensory inputs.
The model reveals that as the number of sensory features describing each concept increases, memory capacity grows, but only up to a critical point. That “sweet spot” for maximised storage reach with seven sensory dimensions.
Beyond seven, the number of distinct memories begins to drop as overlapping and interference between engrams reduce system efficiency.
Engrams in this model become more refined with repeated exposure and more diffuse with disuse, balancing learning and forgetting in a steady state.
In mathematical terms, seven dimensions allow for the richest representation of unique experiences, optimizing recall and learning.
This finding has deep implications for both neuroscience and technology.
For humans, it suggests that memory constraints are not purely biological.
but it may have a mathematical basis, possibly explaining classic psychological observations like George Miller’s “magical number seven” we can hold in short-term memory.
For artificial intelligence, the research points to the potential benefits of broadening sensory input beyond human norms—designs using seven types of data channels might offer smarter,
That offers more adaptable systems capable of richer, less error-prone learning.
Conclusion
They do not stop here and speculates speculatethat future humans could evolve new senses.
such These includes the ability to detect magnetic fields or radiation, to approach this mathematical maximum of memory efficiency.
In summary, this pioneering work not only expands our understanding of how the brain encodes and manages memories, but it also charts a path for the next generation of robotics
And AI systems built with seven “senses” could revolutionise machine intelligence and shed new light on the true potential of the human mind.
Beyond the traditional five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch),can potentially develop or imagine several additional senses.
Some of the most recognized extra senses include:
- Proprioception: Awareness of the position and movement of the body in space, it allows actions like touching the nose with eyes closed.
- Equilibrioception: it managed by the inner ear, helping to detect gravity and acceleration to maintain posture and avoid falls.
- Thermoception: The sense of heat and cold, which enables the body to detect changes in temperature independent of touch.
- Nociception: The perception of pain, distinguishing it from regular touch sensations.
- Interoception: physiological states, such as hunger, thirst, and the levels of various chemicals (like CO2 in the blood).
- Chronoception: A possible sense of the passage of time or the awareness of time intervals.
- Magnetoreception: The Ability to detect magnetic fields in certain animals, and is speculated as a potential sense for future humans.
- Electroreception: Sensing electric fields, notably present in some animals, and a hypothetical extension for enhanced human perception.
- Kinesthesia: The sense of movement, closely related to proprioception but more specifically about detecting the movement of muscles and joints.
- Other specialized senses: These include the perception of air pressure, texture, emotional states (like sensing fear or happiness in others),
- and even intuition or a “sixth sense” (sometimes linked to extrasensory perception or subconscious processing).
These senses often blur together, but they highlight the complexity and adaptability of human perception beyond the classic five senses taught in school
