| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/H022112/1 |
| Title: |
Synthetic Cognitive Systems |
| Principal Investigator: |
Russell, Dr NA |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Faculty of Engineering |
| Organisation: |
University of Nottingham |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research |
| Starts: |
01 March 2010 |
Ends: |
31 August 2015 |
Value (£): |
1,068,621
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Artificial Intelligence |
Biomedical neuroscience |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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12 Aug 2009
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Challenging Engineering Interview Panel
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The brain can be viewed as an immensely sophisticated computational system, the understanding of which presents us with a very challenging problem. Whilst much progress has been made in understanding how the brain functions, a fundamental question that remains to be resolved is how the brain encodes and processes information as spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity. This proposal will establish a core team of interdisciplinary researchers and the facilities required in order to address this important question. The key aim of the group's research program is to produce a synthetic system, incorporating living neurons, which is capable of cognition at a highly simplified, elemental, level. The system will incorporate a continuous, closed-loop, flow of information between the network and its environment analogous to that in a real organism and will ensure the system has some relevance to neural processing. It will result in a tool that will overcome current limitations; allowing a close correspondence between the experimental system and the mathematical models. This experimental tool will be made available to the neuroscience community at large and will enable researchers to develop the beginnings of a theory of neural processing. The initial system will undergo continual development; incorporating technical innovations and improvements to construct neural systems of ever increasing complexity and relevance.This proposal will provide an investment in the core activities of a new interdisciplinary facility that will provide an experimental platform for neuroscientists both from the UK and abroad. The expertise of the facility will be both in the development and production of synthetic cognitive systems as well as their application to fundamental, curiosity-driven, neuroscience research. The majority of output from this facility will come from funding attracted by the collaborative projects that arise both during the development and the application of this tool.The relatively simple initial system will undergo continual development; incorporating technical innovations and improvements. For example, larger networks will be produced, more sophisticated methods of monitoring and controlling biochemical pathways will be incorporated and networks of interacting networks will be produced to construct neural systems of ever increasing complexity and relevance.Ultimately these systems will allow us to develop models of information processing in the more complex networks found in living brains. These models may lead to treatments to correct the instabilities that underlie many brain diseases and disorders and may lead to advances in artificial intelligence.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk |