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Sean O'Nuallain
Dublin City University (Ireland)
Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University
"Computing with waves; Neurons as resonators"
Abstract: Neuroscience has witnessed a healthy burgeoning of theory in the
period of the last decade, from revivals of Hoffman's geometry of systems
model, reformulated to stress the dynamical systems aspect, to a similarly
transformed holonomic theory by Grass and his colleagues,
to various cortical columnar architectures proposed, inter alia by Anderson
and Burnod, to further-fledged speculations featuring nitrous oxide, glial
cells, and quantum coherence in microtubules.
In contrast, computational models of the behavior of networks of neurons are
still mainly based on an integrate-and-fire model of neural function. We
propose a new computational model of the neuron developed with spectral
data processing in mind, which emphasizes sub-threshold oscillation of the
membrane potential as a fundamental feature on which to build a
computational model. This reformulation of the computational neuron results
in networks in which features such as resonance, selective communication and
sensitivity to inter-spike periods emerge naturally. Furthermore, integrate
and fire behavior emerges as a special case of the new model.
Bio: Sean O'Nuallain holds an M.Sc. in Psychology from University College,
Dublin (UCD) Ireland & a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Trinity College,
Dublin, Ireland. He holds a visiting scholars' position at Stanford and
directs the independent non-profit Nous Research. He is the author of a
book on the foundations of Cognitive Science: "The Search for Mind" (Ablex,
1995; 2nd ed Intellect, 2002; Third edition Intellect, 2003) and editor of
"Two Sciences of Mind" (Benjamins, 1997); editor of "Spatial Cognition";
co-editor of "Language, Vision, and Music" (Benjamins, 2002) and of "Mind
in Interaction" (Benjamins, in preparation). His "Being Human: the Search
for Order" (Intellect, 2002) sold out its first print-run immediately; the
second edition was launched at Stanford Bookstore on May 19, 2004.