So we almost go back full circle to human (animal) brain binary spikes?
Simon Thorpe, a CNRS researcher has got some fascinating papers and lectures on YouTube on using binary weights on neuromorphic hardware which has had practical applications for over 20 years already.
I made an account just to drop his name somewhere on this forum.
In my time lurking I've noticed that the community here basically focuses solely on the von Neumann architecture. If anyone is interested in delving into the world of spikes he has some interesting ideas and good material available.