IBM/EPFL Blue Brain Project [...] Over the next two years scientists from both organizations will work together using the huge computational capacity of IBM’s eServer Blue Gene supercomputer to create a detailed model of the circuitry in the neocortex – the largest and most complex part of the human brain. By expanding the project to model other areas of the brain, scientists hope to eventually build an accurate, computer-based model of the entire brain. [...] True or advertising? One way or another, it is an exciting idea me thinks... I would really like to read some comments from people with knowledge on the subject, and everyone elses oppinion.

We had some interesting comments about it on this thread. I think most people agree that they still don't have anywhere near the computing power that they will need. But who knows how much computing power you really need?

Anyway, it's hard to argue that the whole thing isn't worth a try. We need to have a Brain v1.0 Beta before we can ever have a Brain v6 Final.

Hopefully they are modelling the brain of this one guy I know that drinks waaaay too much. They can realistically achieve his computing power. :P

Well, I know one thing.. Even the 80386 cpus could do multiplications faster than I could ever dream of.. But yeah, there's pretty much to a brain really.. But then.. It sure would be a differense to emulate a 2months old child, or someone like Albert Einstein.. :p

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Original post by DvDmanDT Well, I know one thing.. Even the 80386 cpus could do multiplications faster than I could ever dream of..

That maybe so but the interaction with the physical world that your brain has to deal with is massively computationally expensive. I think the estimate that some people have bandied around is around 100-200 TFLOPS of processing power. To get this sort of processing power in an object the size of a brain is way beyond anything we are capable of today, I think Blue Gene/L is probably 10's of 1000's of times the size of a brain :)

I'm not sure this is possible. In fact, a brain and a computer ins't the same thing at all and trying to program something like a brain is just impossible since the computer cannot interact with the world like we do with our 5 sense.
Our brain do mutch more that just making calculation. That my opigion.

I guess the whole experiment is an attempt to "visualize" the way electrical pulses flow trough the neurons and maybe sucha visualization can give a clue about how the hell they work as a whole.

Its definitly possible to create a simulation of a brain, AFTER we understand how the brain works :D. Even if it requres a physics model of the atoms that make up the brain in order to create an accurate model, it is possible. However the computing power for somthing such as this is out of this world.

I realise it probably isnt the best comparason, but I do remember reading that each neuron is estimated to work at an equivilant of 100mhz. However I cannot relate this back to biological foundations at all. Is this simply that each neuron 'updates' it self 100,000 times per second, or that the estimated computer power to emulate each neuron is rated at 100,000 calculations per second, but then this would come down to the efficiency of the code.

But to put that into processing perspective a desktop pc has no chance of emulating more then a handfull of neurons... However it could always be run in slow motion

Im sorry I no longer have a link, nor can I even remember what I looking for at the time.

I posted an earlier version of this paper a long time ago...

Here it is again: Singularity

The key to greater-than-human intelligence is quantum computing. That means heatless processing (so that chips can be 3d and processor power grows with size) with virtually infinitely parallel processing (pure computational speed).

A greater-than-human intelligence is possible...and you'd better be ready for it.