I stumbled upon a paper published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) called “Network architecture of the long-distance pathways in the macaque brain” with key implication for reverse-engineering the human brain and developing a comprehensive network of cognitive-computing chips. The networks lead to the application of network-theoretic analysis that has been successful in understanding the Internet, social networking, and search in the world-wide web.
Don’t get me wrong. This is not a new field of study. Cognitive science has its roots in the 1950’s. However it’s only in the past 5 years that some significant Research milestones have been reached. The understanding of network of nervous system could act as a template for architecting future networks, cognitive systems, and resource allocation patterns in utility (cloud) based computing models.
Key highlights of PNAS research included the finding of how information travels and is processed across the nervous system. The brain network does not to scale freely like the social networks, which are logical and can grow without any constraints. This finding helps us to design the network routing architecture of cognitive computing chip. By analysing the current state of the body, the brain also allocates priority to body functions. This study can help in understanding and developing resource allocation patterns.
Now let’s talk about Connectome. What is Connectome, you ask? Well a Connectome is a complete map of every neural connection in the brain. To know more about Connectome you can view the video podcast by Sebastian Seung.
I believe Connectome will open new avenues of study in advanced computing. The human nervous system is the most complex and advanced Network on earth — probably even in our galaxy (Atleast for now and/or as far as we know of). Just as the economy is interconnected and mainly controlled by a small but powerful core network, so too is our human brain. This discovery aligns astonishingly with nearly four decades of imaging studies that exhibit a ‘task-positive’ network implicates a goal-focussed performance and a ‘task-negative’ network activated when the brain is reserved and at restless.
Another reference for such research is the book Networks of the Brain, by author Olaf Sporns. In his book Sporns explains how the integrative nature of brain function can be illuminated from a complex network perspective. He introduces network theory to those working on theoretical network models. Sporns''s book unites function, dynamics , neural structure, and connectivity into a single and coherent framework.
Connectome goes a long way toward understanding the dynamic patterns of the brain that underlie behavior and cognition. With our current technology it will take at least 30-40 years (I am being extremely optimistic) to completely map and produce Connectome of the entire human nervous system. Connectome will offer synthesis of the sciences of complex networks that will be an essential foundation for future research in computer science.
Reference:
http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/us/en/business_analytics/article/cognitive_computing.html
http://hcp.600series.net/
http://www.kurzweilai.net/ibm-scientists-create-most-comprehensive-map-of-the-brains-network?utm_source=KurzweilAI+Daily+Newsletter&utm_campaign=2e47b007d7-UA-946742-1&utm_medium=email
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2010/07/scientists-create-most-comprehensive-map-of-the-brains-network.html
http://www.modha.org/
http://humanconnectome.org/about/pressroom/tag/mapping-the-human-brain/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connectome
http://www.ted.com/talks/sebastian_seung.html
*If you find something is misleading or not correct then please throw some light on it.
