IBM'S C2S2 Project - Computer of the future based on brain insights

Tony Austin
Sunday, 23 November 2008 03:59

Opinion and Analysis

The distinguished research team also includes Stanford University (Professors Kwabena Boahen, H.-S. Philip Wong, Brian Wandell), University of Wisconsin-Madison (Professor Gulio Tononi), Cornell University (Professor Rajit Manohar), Columbia University Medical Center (Professor Stefano Fusi) and University of California- Merced (Professor Christopher Kello). IBM Researchers include Dr. Stuart Parkin, Dr. Chung Lam, Dr. Bulent Kurdi, Dr. J. Campbell Scott, Dr. Paul Maglio, Dr. Simone Raoux, Dr. Rajagopal Ananthanarayanan, Dr. Raghav Singh, and Dr. Bipin Rajendran.

Recently, the IBM cognitive computing team demonstrated the near-real-time simulation at a scale of a small mammal brain using cognitive computing algorithms with the power of IBM’s BlueGene supercomputer.

With this simulation capability, the researchers are experimenting with various mathematical hypotheses of brain function and structure as they work toward discovering the brain’s core computational micro and macro circuits.

In the past, the field of artificial intelligence research has focused on individual aspects of engineering intelligent machines.

Cognitive computing, on the cutting edge of this line of research, seeks to engineer holistic intelligent machines that neatly tie together all of the pieces. IBM’s cognitive computing initiative was born out its 2006 Almaden Institute, which annually brings together top minds to address fundamental challenges at the very edge of science and technology.

IBM scientists and university partners are one step closer to understanding the complex wiring system of the brain with the ultimate goal of building the computer of the future: one that will simulate and emulate the brain’s abilities for sensation, perception, action, interaction and cognition while rivaling its low power consumption and compact size. Understanding the process behind these seemingly effortless feats of the human brain and creating a computational theory based on it remains one of the biggest challenges for computer scientists

. The Modha Brain

IBM has a rich history in the area of artificial intelligence research going all the way back to 1956 when IBM performed the world’s first large-scale (512 neuron) cortical simulation.

If you want to follow up a bit more on this, Dr. Modha has a cognitive computing blog here.

In the blog he says that "DARPA has provided mission, money, mandate, meaning, motivation, and metrics that are indispensable to such an ambitious undertaking and to bring a wide-ranging, interdisciplinary group of researchers together. ... I am proud to serve as the Principal Investigator for a truly star-studded cast that is comprehensive, creative, and committed!"