Neuroscience
Swiss scientists aim to build a synthetic brain within a decade
The brain would provide insights into how our perceptions of the world are interpreted and stored, and how consciousness arises
Ian Sample, science correspondent
guardian.co.uk
Thursday 23 July 2009 15.16 BST
[snippet]
The world's first synthetic brain could be built within 10 years, giving us an unprecedented insight into the nature of consciousness and our perception of reality.
Scientists working on the Blue Brain Project in Switzerland are the first to attempt to "reverse-engineer" the mammalian brain by recreating the behaviour of billions of neurons in a computer.
Professor Henry Markham, director of the project at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, has already simulated parts of the neocortex, the most 'modern' region of the brain, which evolved rapidly in mammals to cope with the demands of parenthood and social situations.
Markham's team created a 3D simulation of around 10,000 brain cells to mimic the behaviour of the rat neocortex. The way all the cells connect and send signals to each other is just as important as how many there are.
"You need one laptop to do all the calculations for one neuron, so you need ten thousand laptops," Markham told the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford yesterday. Instead, he uses an IBM Blue Gene supercomputer.
[snippet]
Read article here
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Neuroscience
Update on The Blue Brain Project
Swiss scientists aim to build a synthetic brain within a decade
The brain would provide insights into how our perceptions of the world are interpreted and stored, and how consciousness arises
Ian Sample, science correspondent
guardian.co.uk
Thursday 23 July 2009 15.16 BST
[snippet]
The world's first synthetic brain could be built within 10 years, giving us an unprecedented insight into the nature of consciousness and our perception of reality.
Scientists working on the Blue Brain Project in Switzerland are the first to attempt to "reverse-engineer" the mammalian brain by recreating the behaviour of billions of neurons in a computer.
Professor Henry Markham, director of the project at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, has already simulated parts of the neocortex, the most 'modern' region of the brain, which evolved rapidly in mammals to cope with the demands of parenthood and social situations.
Markham's team created a 3D simulation of around 10,000 brain cells to mimic the behaviour of the rat neocortex. The way all the cells connect and send signals to each other is just as important as how many there are.
"You need one laptop to do all the calculations for one neuron, so you need ten thousand laptops," Markham told the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford yesterday. Instead, he uses an IBM Blue Gene supercomputer.
[snippet]
Read article here
- Blue Brain Project
IBM and The Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) are working together on an initiative called the Blue Brain Project, creating a supercomputer simulation of the neocortex. "Modeling the brain at the cellular level is a massive undertaking...
- Aerobic Exercise And Neurons
Start running and watch your brain grow, say scientists • Aerobic exercise triggers new cell growth – study • Region of brain affected linked to recollection Ian Sample, science correspondent The Guardian Monday 18 January 2010 20.41 GMT Read the...
- The Brain That Squeaked
From today's New York TImes: Atlas Squeaked: A Complete Map of the Brain of a Mouse By NICHOLAS WADE Published: September 26, 2006 The New York Times Scientists have gained a new window for peering into the brain, courtesy of a $41 million project...
- Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Pure Nerve Stem Cells
From the BBC:Scientists make nerve stem cells The world's first pure nerve stem cells made from human embryonic stem cells has been created by scientists at the University of Edinburgh. Tuesday, 16 August 2005, 07:15 GMT 08:15 UK It...
- A Beautiful 'brainbow'
(Inspired by Encephalon #64) Neurons are clever little cells, the very material that processes what we think, see, hear, feel, understand, and so much more. Has anyone considered if they look as artistic as they are artful? In 2007 a team of Harvard neuroscientists...