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Scientists to create digital copy of brain
Swiss institute links with IBM to expose 'magic' of the human brain's neocortical column
James Watson, Computing 08 Jun 2005
ADVERTISEMENTSwiss scientists and IBM have announced plans to create a detailed digital model of a neocortical column, a tiny but crucial area of the human brain.
Professor Henry Markram, founder and head of Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique F?d?rale de Lausanne's (EPFL) Brain Mind Institute, says the simulation will 'phenomenally' accelerate the pace of neuroscience research.
'Some experiments, just to study one pathway, may take us three years to complete. With this model, we could do them in a day or even a couple of hours,' he said.
Under the Blue Brain project, IBM is building a custom version of its Blue Gene supercomputer with 8,000 processors, each of which will simulate the behaviour of one to two neurons.
The system will have a peak processing speed of 22.8 teraflops, making it one of the world's 10 most powerful systems.
'This whole machine will be converted into one tiny little column, simulating about 10,000 neurons,' said Markram.
By comparison, the human neocortical column, which measures about half a millimetre wide and two millimetres long, contains between 50,000 and 70,000 neurons, with five to 10 kilometres of 'cables' connecting them.
The entire human brain contains about a million of these columns.
Markram says the accumulation of a vast amount of data about the brain, combined with the power of today's supercomputers, makes such a simulation possible.
'It's just two things that have converged. It's the massive amount of data that has been built up over the past 100 years, which has been perfected and quantified in the past 10 years - and then the power of supercomputing,' he said.
Markram has been conducting detailed research and experimentation over the past decade to generate the necessary quantitative data required on the micro-architecture of the neocortex for such a model to be plausible.
The neocortical column marks the evolutionary step from reptiles to mammals - the quantum leap that started the new form of mammalian intelligence that eventually culminated in human intelligence and cognitive function.
'This is really the magic in evolution that occurred,' said Markram. Subsequent phases of the project will expand the simulation to include circuitry from other brain regions and finally the whole brain.
Markram says the project will eventually provide a better understanding of how and why certain microcircuits in the brain malfunction. These malfunctions are thought to cause psychiatric disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and depression.
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2137660/scientists-create-digital-copy-brain
Death a thing of the Past
Death 'a thing of the past'
From correspondents in London
May 23, 2005
From: Agence France-Presse
Your brain ... coming to a computer near you DEATH could become a thing of the past by the mid-21st century as computer technology becomes sophisticated enough for the contents of a brain to be "downloaded" on to a supercomputer, according to a leading British futurologist.
But he told London's Observer newspaper the technology might be expensive enough to remain the preserve of the rich for a decade or two more.
Among other eyebrow-raising predictions by Ian Pearson, head of the futurology unit at British telecommunications giant BT, is the prospect of computer systems being able to feel emotions.
This could eventually involve such things as planes being programmed to be even more terrified of crashing than their passengers, meaning they would do whatever possible to stay airborne.
While the predictions might sound outlandish, they were merely the product of extrapolations drawn from the existing rate at which computers are evolving, Mr Pearson said in an interview.
"If you draw the timelines, realistically by 2050 we would expect to be able to download your mind into a machine, so when you die it's not a major career problem," he said. "If you're rich enough then by 2050 it's feasible. If you're poor you'll probably have to wait until 2075 or 2080 when it's routine.
Advertisement:
"We are very serious about it. That's how fast this technology is moving: 45 years is a hell of a long time in IT."
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,15375641-13762,00.html - Posted: 07/16/2005 @ 03:28 AM (PDT) (edited 07/16/2005 @ 03:41 AM (PDT))
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| Scientists to create digital copy of brain - Death a thing of the Past?Black Panther | 07/16/2005 @ 03:28 AM (PDT) |
 Artificial IntelligenceBFilmFan | 07/17/2005 @ 01:54 AM (PDT) |
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Our "brain's" downloaded to a machine...TomSal | 07/18/2005 @ 05:27 AM (PDT) |
  More like BrainstormJamesRL | 07/18/2005 @ 10:42 AM (PDT) |
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Sorry, not interested. Try next door.DMambo | 07/18/2005 @ 05:57 AM (PDT) |
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I'd do it, if...jck | 07/18/2005 @ 07:26 AM (PDT) |
 But jckHAL 9000 | 07/18/2005 @ 07:43 AM (PDT) |
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dude...Col...think, my good man...jck | 07/18/2005 @ 11:48 AM (PDT) |
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"Heechee" books by Frederick Pohlneilb@... | 07/18/2005 @ 01:04 PM (PDT) |
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just so longjck | 07/18/2005 @ 01:49 PM (PDT) |
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Ooh, Ooh, I knowDMambo | 07/19/2005 @ 05:06 AM (PDT) |
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'fraid notjck | 07/19/2005 @ 05:12 AM (PDT) |
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Greed is GOOD!neilb@... | 07/19/2005 @ 09:40 AM (PDT) |
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NeilB...you're 33% rightjck | 07/19/2005 @ 10:22 AM (PDT) |
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jck, I guess I'm not "with it"DMambo | 07/19/2005 @ 01:41 PM (PDT) |
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DMambo: don't worryneilb@... | 07/19/2005 @ 02:41 PM (PDT) |
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um...wasn't kidding...jck | 07/20/2005 @ 11:47 AM (PDT) |
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Purchase another Mind in the futureBlack Panther | 07/18/2005 @ 03:38 PM (PDT) |
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If I were going to purchase a spare mindjck | 07/19/2005 @ 05:13 AM (PDT) |
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Brain Backupsgeneralist@... | 07/19/2005 @ 10:51 AM (PDT) |
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They should start smallOz_Media | 07/19/2005 @ 11:01 AM (PDT) |
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hehehehejck | 07/19/2005 @ 11:04 AM (PDT) |
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GOD OZHAL 9000 | 07/19/2005 @ 04:58 PM (PDT) |
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NahOz_Media | 07/19/2005 @ 07:34 PM (PDT) |
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hahahahaBlack Panther | 07/20/2005 @ 03:44 AM (PDT) |
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And it would all fit?Montgomery Gator | 07/20/2005 @ 11:41 AM (PDT) |
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Single or double sided?neilb@... | 07/20/2005 @ 11:45 AM (PDT) |
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but...jck | 07/20/2005 @ 11:51 AM (PDT) |
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Assuming we compress the dataneilb@... | 07/20/2005 @ 11:54 AM (PDT) |
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wait a minute?jck | 07/20/2005 @ 11:55 AM (PDT) |
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No, I don't think there isneilb@... | 07/20/2005 @ 11:57 AM (PDT) |
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ah...so...jck | 07/20/2005 @ 12:01 PM (PDT) |
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Exactly.neilb@... | 07/20/2005 @ 12:03 PM (PDT) |
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if you are wanting to assure complete scramblingjck | 07/20/2005 @ 12:20 PM (PDT) |
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Related?neilb@... | 07/20/2005 @ 12:38 PM (PDT) |
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sure...but...jck | 07/20/2005 @ 12:47 PM (PDT) |
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London is easyneilb@... | 07/20/2005 @ 02:01 PM (PDT) |
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I'll just stay clear...jck | 07/21/2005 @ 08:43 AM (PDT) |
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JCK lest be truthfulHAL 9000 | 07/21/2005 @ 11:35 PM (PDT) |
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Neil you forgot to add a word to that postingHAL 9000 | 07/20/2005 @ 10:47 PM (PDT) |
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Colin, you're absolutely right!neilb@... | 07/20/2005 @ 11:21 PM (PDT) |
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naw niel,Jaqui | 07/21/2005 @ 03:46 AM (PDT) |
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The government(s)Oz_Media | 07/20/2005 @ 01:15 PM (PDT) |
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