BLUE BRAIN
Minuthi H U
Manasa H L
Student, ECE
Student, CS&E
AIT, AIT, Chickmagalur
AIT, AIT, Chickmagalur
Karnataka, India.
Karnataka, India
[email protected]
[email protected]
They They are are
Abstract
buil buildi ding ng brai brain n
mode models ls of dif differe ferent nt
mammalia mammalian n species species (mouse, (mouse, rat, cat, and monkey) monkey)
The human brain is the most complex device
first before reaching the human brain. Self-awareness
in the universe. An elaborate network of roughly 100
and
billion neurons, it stores our thoughts, feelings,
phenomenon depends on neuronal, synaptic and/or
dreams, fears, lusts, quirks, and memories. A cerebral
molecular interactions.
cons consci ciou ousn snes esss
may
also also
emer emerge ge
if
this his
system of 100 billion neurons is an advanced network confi configur gurati ation, on, but it is still still a finite finite system. system. This technological platform is a daunting task for today's
Introduction The first first phase phase of the Blue Blue Brain Brain Proje Project ct
computers, certainly. Yet Yet in Lausanne, Switzerland scientists have just recently managed to simulate an entire neocortical column inside a computer. Call it a very real first step. “Blue brain” the name of the world’ world’ss first first virtual virtual brain. brain. That means a machine machine that can function function as human brain. Today scientist scientistss are in research to create an artificial brain that can think, response, take decision, and keep anything in memory. memory. The main aim is to upload human brain into mach machin ine. e. So that that man man can can thin think, k, take take deci decisi sion on without any effort. After the death of the body, the virtual brain will act as the man .So, even after the death of a person we will not lose the knowledge, intelligence, personalities, feelings and memories of that man that can be used for the development of the human human society society..
No one has ever unders understoo tood d the
complexity of human brain. It is complex than any circuitry in the world. So, question may arise “Is it really possible to create a human brain?” The answer is “Yes”. Because whatever man has created today always he has followed the nature. When man does not have a device device called called comput computer er,, it was a big question for all .But today it is possible due to the techno technolog logy y. Technol echnology ogy is growin growing g faster faster than than everyt everythin hing. g.
IBM IBM is now in resear research ch to create create a
virtual brain. It is called “Blue brain “.If possible, this would be the first virtual brain of the world
started after 15 years of systematically dissecting the microanat microanatomica omical, l, genetic genetic and electrical electrical propertie propertiess of the elementary unit of the neocortex – a single neocortical column, which is a little larger than the head of a pin. The project has focused, however, not only on building a model of the neocortical column, but on developing a generic facility that could allow rapid modeling, modeling, simulati simulation on and experiment experimentatio ation n of any brain region, if the data can be measured and provided according to specifications. The facility facility has been
used to
build
the
first model of
the
neocor neocortic tical al column column,, which which consis consists ts of 10,000 10,000 3D digitizations of real neurons that are populated with model
ion
channels
constrained.
A
parallel supercomputer supercomputer is used to build the model and perform the experiments so that the behavior of the tissue can be predicted through simulations. With the present simulation facility, facility, the technical feasibility to model a piece of neural tissue has been demonstrated.
Blue Brain
intelligent brain to have with. But the intelligence is
T h e n a me me
brain is a solution to it. The brain and intelligence
lost along with the body after the death. The virtual
o f t h e w o rl r l d ’s ’s f i r s t v i rt r t u al al
b r a i n . T h a t
means
a machine that
can
will will aliv alivee even even afte afterr the the deat death. h. We ofte often n face face
function as human brain. Today scientists are
difficulties in remembering things such as people’s
i n r e se se a r ch ch t o c r e at at e a n a r ti ti fi ci ci a l b r ai ai n t h at at
names, their birthdays, and the spellings of
can think, response, take decision, and keep
words, proper grammar, important dates, history,
a ny ny th th i ng ng i n m em em o ry ry. T he he m ai ai n a im im i s t o
facts etc... In the busy life every one want to be
u p l oa oa d h u ma ma n b r ai ai n i n to to m a ch ch i n e. e. S o t h at at
relaxed. Can’t we use any machine to assist for all
m an an c an an t hi hi n k, k, t ak ak e d e ci ci s io io n w it it ho ho u t a ny ny
these? Virtual Virtual brain may be the solution to it.
effort. After the death of the body, the virtual br ai n wi ll ac t as th e ma n .S o , ev e n after the death of a person we will not lose the knowledge, intelligence, personalities, feelings and memories of
that
ma n
that
can
be
us ed
for
the
Creating virtual brain First, it is helpful to describe the basic
d e v el el o pm pm e n t o f t h e h u ma ma n s o ci ci e t y. y. N o o n e
m an a n ne ne rs
has ever understood the complexity of human
uploaded uploaded into
br ai n. It i s co m pl e x th an an y ci r cu it ry in th e
recently provided an interesting paper on this
world.
t op op ic ic . I n
Virtual brain is an artificial brain, which does not
a nd nd n o ni ni nv nv as as i ve ve
actually the natural brain, but can act as the brain. It
p r o m i s i n g
is the
can think like brain, take decisions based on the past
robots, or
nanobots.
Th ey wi ll
expe xperienc iencee and response as the natural brain
a bl e
p ro vi de
an
can. It is possible by using a super computer,
with computers that is as close
w it it h a h ug ug e a mo mo u nt nt o f s to to r ag ag e c ap ap a ci ci ty t y,
as
w hi h i ch ch
pr o ce s si ng po we r an d an in t er fa ce be tw e en
reside in our biological form. Nanobots could
th e human brain and this artificial artificial one. Through this
also carefully scan the structure of our brain,
interface the data stored in the natural brain can be up
pro p ro vi di ng
loaded into the computer.
c on on n ec ec ti ti on on s
to
p er e r so so n
d es es cr cr ib ib es es
m ay ay
a
use
can
b et et w ee ee n
of
be
co mp le te
a ls ls o
b ot ot h
t ec ec hn hn o lo lo g ie ie s. s.
mi n d
t h e b r a in in . T h is is
Need of virtual brain
a
be
computer. computer. Raymond Raymond Kurzweil Kurzweil
i t, t, h e
our
w ou ou ld ld
in
T he he
m os os t
very small be
i nt er fa ce
while we still
re a do ut
e a ch ch
r ec ec or or d t he he
i nv nv as as iv iv e
n eu eu r on on .
c ur ur re re n t
i n fo fo r m at at i on on ,
of
w h en en
t he T he he y
s ta ta te te
of
e n te te r e d
i nt nt o a c om om pu pu te te r, r, c ou ou ld ld t he he n c on on ti ti nu nu e t o
Today we are developed because of our intelligence.
function as us. All that is required is
Intelligence is the in born quality that cannot be
c o mp mp u t er er w i th th l a rg rg e e n o ug ug h s t or or a g e s p ac ac e
c re re at at e d. d. S om om e
q ua ua li li t y, y,
and processing power. Is the pattern and state
s o t h at at t h ey ey c a n t h in in k u p t o s u ch ch a n e x te te n t
of neuron connections in our brain truly all
where other cannot reach. Human society is
t h a t m a k e s u p o u r c o ns ns c io io u s s e lv lv e s ?M ?M a n y
alw ays nee ded of su ch inte intell llig igen ence ce and and suc such h an
peo p eo pl e be li ev e fir ml y th o se we po ss es s a
p eo eo pl pl e
h av av e
t h is is
a
s ou ou l, l,
w hi hi le le
s om om e
v er er y
t ec ec hn hn ic ic al al
p eo eo pl pl e
This microcircuit, known as the neocortical column
be li ev e th at qu a nt um fo rc es co n tr ib ut e to
(NCC) (NCC),, is repeat repeated ed milli millions ons of times times acros acrosss the
our awa ren es s. But
to now
cortex. The difference between the brain of a mouse
think technically. Note however, that we need
and the brain of a human is basically just volume -
not know how the brain actually actually
humans humans have many more neocortical neocortical columns and
we
have
functions, functions,
t o t r an an s f er er i t t o a c o mp mp u te te r. r. We n e ed ed o n ly ly k n o w t h e m ed ed i a a n d c o n te te n t s. s. F o r
thus neurons than mice.
t h is is w e
This structure structure lends itself to a systemat systematic ic
h av av e t o f ir ir st st k no no w h ow ow t he he h um um an an b ra ra in in
modeling approach. And indeed, the first step of the
actually works
Blue Brain project is to re-create this fundamental micr microc ocir ircu cuit it,, down down to the the leve levell of biol biolog ogic ical ally ly
1.1 The Human Brain
accurate accurate individua individuall neurons. neurons. The microcirc microcircuit uit can
The cerebral cortex that makes up 80% of
then be used in simulations.
the human human brain brain is respon responsib sible le for our abili ability ty to remember remember,, think, think, reflect, reflect, empathize empathize,, communica communicate, te, adapt to new situations and plan for the future. The cort cortex ex firs firstt appe appear ared ed in mamm mammal als, s, and and it has has a fundamentally simple repetitive structure that is the same across all mammalian species. The The brai brain n is popu popula late ted d with with bill billio ions ns of neurons, each connected to thousands of its neighbors by dendrites and axons, a kind of biological "wir "wirin ing" g"(s (see ee
figu figure re
1.1) 1.1)..
The The
brai brain n
proc proces esse sess
information by sending electrical signals from neuron to neuron neuron along these these wires. These units units operate operate much like microcircuits in a computer.
Figure 1.2 Synaptical connections of neurons
The
bra brain
perf erforms orms
many any
anal nalog
operations which cannot be performed by computers and in many cases it achieves hybrid digital-analog computing. The most important feature of the brain Figure 1.1 A typical neuron
that makes it
differ different ent from from comput computers ers is that that it is consta constantl ntly y
models out there, but his is the only one that is totally
chan changi ging ng.. If the the resi resist stor orss and and capa capaci cito tors rs in a
biologically accurate. accurate.
comp ompute uter
star starte ted d
chang hangin ing, g,
then hen
it
would ould
That step came out of Project Blue Brain, a
immediately malfunction, whereas in the brain such
joint initiative since 2005 pairing IBM and the
equivalent equivalent properties properties change change constantly constantly on the time
Federale de Lausanne Ecole Polytechnique (EPFL) to
scales of milliseconds to years. The brain is more like
craft a working digital model of brain function using
a dynamically morphing computer.
IBMs powerful Blue Gene supercomputer. Within a year, the project had created a functional model of the neoc neocor orti tica call
colu column mn
whic which, h,
acco accord rdin ing g
to
the the
researche researchers' rs' website, website, "can reconstru reconstruct ct biologic biologically ally
THE BLUE BRAIN PROJECT The
Blue
manner, a task that involves positioning around 30
the
millio million n synaps synapses es in precis precisee 3D locati locations ons". ". This This
mammal mammalian ian brain, brain, in order order to under understa stand nd brain brain
virtual neocortical column contained 10,000 neurons.
funct unctio ion n
deta detail iled ed
The impli implicat cation ionss speak speak for themse themselve lves. s. With the
simulati simulations. ons. The Blue Brain team is a model, model, that
immens immensee strid strides es in proces processin sing g power power each each year, year,
they have compiled decade’s worth of research on
Proje Project ct Blue Blue Brain Brain expect expectss to eventu eventuall ally y revers reversee
cellular connectivity to assemble a mass network of
engineer the entire human brain.
attemp attemptt
and and
Project
is
the
and automa automatic ticall ally y connec connectt them them in a biolog biologica icall
first
compre comprehen hensiv sivee
Brain
accurate neurons based on detailed experimental data,
to revers reverse-e e-engi nginee neerr
dys dysfun functio ction n
throu hrough gh
micr microc ochi hips ps that that will will func functi tion on toge togeth ther er a whol wholee precisely the way the brain does. Each microchip equals one neuron, and is programmed to respond to input and form connections to other microchips in
BUILDING THE MICROCIRCUIT
3.1 Modeling Neurons
exactly the way that a specific type of neuron would.
Neurons are not all alike - they come in a variety of
When data is fed into the whole system, it behaves as
complex shapes. The precise shape and structure of a
a group of neurons in the brain would behave. In
neur neuron on infl influe uenc nces es its its
addi additi tion on,, the the Blue Blue Brai Brain n comp comput uter er netw networ ork k is
connectivity with other neurons. A neuron's electrical
conn connec ecte ted d
whic which h
properties are determined to a large extent by a
translate translatess the circuitr circuitry y into a 3-dimensio 3-dimensional nal visual visual
vari variet ety y of ion ion chan channe nels ls dist distri ribu bute ted d in vary varyin ing g
model model that that looks looks like like a cluste clusterr of neuron neurons. s. This This
densities throughout the cell's membrane. Scientists
allows the Blue Brain team to see the virtual neurons
have been collecting data on neuron morphology and
responses to input. Building up the network means
elec electr tric ical al beha behavi vior or of the the juve juveni nile le rat rat in the the
adding more microchips and connecting them to the
laboratory for many years, and this data is used as the
existing network in the way that the human brain is
basis for a model that is run on the Blue Gene to
connected. In this way, according to Markram, “the
recreate each of the 10,000 neurons in the NCC. Each
Blue Brain is about as precise as it can get are a lot of
simple neocortex forms a complex network as in the
to
a
visu visual aliz izat atio ion n
inte interf rfac ace, e,
figure 3.1
elec electr tric ical al
prop proper erti ties es
and and
complex calculations; move, communicate, and work together; conduct molecular assembly; and, to some exte extent nt,,
repa repair ir
or
even even
repl replic icat atee
them themse selv lves es..
Nanobot.info is an informational site that provides information on both recent developments and future applicatio applications ns at the intersect intersection ion of nanotechno nanotechnology logy and roboti robotics. cs. Nanot Nanotech echnol nology ogy is the the scienc sciencee and application of creating objects on a level smaller than Figure 3.1 neocortex in a brain
100 nanometers. Nanobots could also carefully scan the struct structure ure of our brain, brain, provid providing ing a comple complete te readout readout of the connection connection.. This This informat information, ion, when entere entered d into into a comput computer er,, could could then then conti continue nue to
UPLOADING THE HUMAN
function as us. Thus the data stored in the entire brain
BRAIN
will be uploaded into the computer. emul emulaation tion
Mind-u Mind-uplo ploadi ading ng would would be a preser preservat vation ion
(som (somet etim imes es call called ed mind mind tran transf sfer er or elec electr tron onic ic
against entropy and death (if it works). The uploaded
tran transc scen ende denc nce) e)
mind would then wait, frozen like a fly in amber,
Mind ind
uplo upload adiing
or
is the the
whole hole
brain rain
hypo hypoth thet etic ical al
proc proces esss
of
scanning and mapping a biological brain in detail and
until downloaded downloaded into a newly-rep newly-repaire aired d or cloned cloned
copying its state into a computer system or another
body. Or it could be accessed accessed while still on computer;
computati computational onal device. device. The simula simulated ted mind mind is
assu assume med d to be par part of a vir virtual tual reali ealitty simulated world, supported by a simplified body simulation model. Alternatively, Alternatively, the simulated
we can imagine a live person interacting in a virtual worl world d with with the the cons consci ciou ousn snes esss of the the rece recent ntly ly deceased.
Application of blue brain
mind is assumed to reside in a computer inside (or
Detailed, biologically accurate brain si
connected to) a biological body or a humanoid robot.
m u l a t i o n s o f f e r t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o a ns n s we we
The uploading is possible by the use of small
r some fundamental questions about the brain
robots known as the nanobots. These robots are small
t h a t c a n no no t b e a d dr dr e ss ss e d w i th th a n y current
enough to travel throughout our circulatory system.
expe experi rime ment ntal al
Traveling into the spine and brain, they will be able
include,
to monitor the activity and structure of our central
D es es pi pi te te
nervou nervouss system system.. They They will will be able able to provid providee an
t he he or or et et ic ic al al
interface with computer that is as close as our mind
pro p ro vi de a co mp re he n si ve
de nt it io n
can be while we still reside in our biological form.
c om om pu pu ta ta ti ti on on al al
o f d if iff er er en en t
Advanced nanobots will be able to sense and
c h an an n el el s, s,
a
or
theo theore reti tica call
c en en tu tu ry ry r es es ea ea rc rc h ,
of we
f un un ct c t io io n
r ec ec ep ep to to rs rs ,
appr approa oach ches es..
Thes Thesee
e xp xp er er im im en en ta ta l a re re
n eu eu r on on s
a nd nd
u na na bl bl e
or
to
o f th e i on on
s yn yn ap ap t ic ic
adapt to environmental stimuli such as heat, light,
pat p at hw a ys in th e br ai n . A d et ai le d mo de l wi ll
sounds, sounds, surface surface textures textures,, and chemicals chemicals;; perform perform
allow fine control of any of these elements.
A t p r e s e n t , d e t a i l e d , a c c u r a t e b r a i n s im im u l
of the world’s most powerful
ationsaretheonlyapproachthatcouldallow
supercomputers; the human brain is made of
u s t o e xp xp la la in in w hy hy t he he b ra ra in in n e ed ed s t o u se se
thousands as many NCC s as an entire rat
m an an y d i ff ff e re re nt nt i on on c ha ha nn nn el el s , n eu eu ro ro n s a n d
brain. The virtual human brain brain would need need
synapses, a spectrum of receptors, rather
500 x 1015 bytes, which is more than 200
than than the simpl simplifi ified ed unifor uniform m types types found found in many many
times the amount of data stored on all of
models.
Google’s servers.
Gathering and Testing 100 Years of Data.
In addition to potential technological
C r a c k i n g t h e N e u r a l C o d e . N ov ov el el To ol ol
restrictions, the team faces increasingly
for Drug Discovery for Brain Disorders
limited electrical resources..
Another fear is found today with respect to human cloning.
FUTURE PERSPECTIVE ADVANTAGES T h e s y nt nt h e si si s e r a i n n e u ro ro s c ie ie n c e s t ar ar t ed ed
Gathering and Testing 100 Years of Data
Cracking the Neural Code
Unders Understan tandin ding g
Neocor Neocortic tical al
with the launch of the Human Brain Project a nd nd i s a n i ne ne vi vi ta ta bl bl e p h as as e t ri ri g ge ge re re d b y a
Inform Informati ation on
c r it it i ca ca l a m ou ou n t o f f u n da da m en en t al al d a t a. a. T h e
Processing
d a t a s e t d o e s n o t n e e d t o b e c o m pl pl e t e
A Novel Tool for Drug Discovery for Brain
b e f o r e s u c h a p h a s e c a n b e g i n . I n d e e d ,
Disorders
it is essential essential to guide reductionist reductionist research
A Global Facility.
into the deeper facets of brain structure and
A Foundation for Whole Brain Simulations
function. function. As a complement complement to experimental experimental
A Foundation Foundation for Molecular Molecular Modeling Modeling of
r e se se a r ch ch , i t o ff ff e rs rs r a pi pi d a s se se s s me me n t o f t h e
Brain Function
pro p ro ba bl e ef f ec t o f a ne w fin di ng
Remedies to most brain disorders.
existing knowledge, which can no longer be
.
We can remember things without any effort
D ec ec is is io io n c an an b e m ad ad e w it it h ou ou t t he he pre p re s en ce of a pe rs o n.
managed
co mp le te ly
r e se se a r ch ch e r. r. D e ta ta i le le d
by any
m o d el el s
w i ll ll
on
pr e
one p r ob ob a b ly ly
bec b ec o me th e fin al fo rm of da t ab as es th at ar e used to organize all knowledge of the brain an d al lo w hypoth hypothesi esiss testing, testing, rapid rapid diagnos diagnoses es of brain malfunction, as well as development of
DISADVANTAGES
The major drawback is the limited technology resources, building one rat NCC required one
t re re at at me me nt nt s
f or or
n e ur ur ol ol o gi gi ca ca l
d is is o rd rd e rs rs . I n
short, we can hope to learn a great deal about brain function and disfunction from accurate models
of the the brai brain n .The .The time time taken taken to build detail ed
The author is willing to present this project to the
models of the brain depends on the level of
medi medica call fiel field d in orde orderr to reco recogn gniz izee the the brai brain n
d et et ai ai l t ha ha t i s c ap ap tu tu re re d. d.
fi rs rs t
disorders. The Blue Brain will provide a huge leap in
h as as
our understanding of brain function and dysfunction
10,000 neurons, has already been built and
and help us explore solutions to intractable problems
simulated; it is the refinement of the detailed
in mental health and neurological disease A careful
pr o pe rt ie s
maintenance is necessary otherwise individuals may
v er er si si on on
o f t he he
I nd nd ee ee d, d,
B lu lu e C ol ol um um n, n,
t he he
w hi hi ch ch
an d ca li br at io n
o f
.
t h e c i rc r c u it i t t h at a t t a ke ke s
t im e . A
m od e l
use it for destructive purposes.
of the
brain
at the
BIBLIOGRAPHY
entire
c e ll l l u la l a r l e ve v e l w i ll ll next
p r ob o b a bl b l y t a ke ke t h e decade. There is
n o f u nd n d a me m e n ta t a l o b st s t a cl cl e
t o m o d e l in in g
t h e brain brain and it is therefore therefore likely likely that that we will will have detailed models of mammalian brains, including that of man, in the near future. Even if overestimated by a decade or two, this is still just a ’blink of an eye’ in relation to the evolution of human civilization. As with with Deep Deep Blue Blue,, Blue Blue Brai Brain n will will allo allow w us to challenge challenge the foundation foundationss of our understan understanding ding of inte ntelli lligenc gencee
and
gene generrate ate
new new
theor heoriies
of
consciousness.
CONCLUSION
[1] Markram, H., “The blue brain proje ct”, Nat Rev Neurosci. Neurosci. 7, 153-160. [2 ] MODEL-BASED REASONING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOL TECHNOLOGY OGY CONFER CONFERENCE ENCE,. ,. “
Constructivist Research and InfoComputational Knowledge Generation”, Abduction, Logic, and Compu omputa tati tion onaal
Disc Discov over ery y
Unive iversit rsity y
of
Campinas, Brazil, 17-19 December, 2009. [3] Hine ines, M. et al., “Fully Fully Impli Implicit cit Parall Parallel el Simul Simulati ation on of Singl Singlee Neuron Neuronss ”, J. Comput. Neurosci., Neurosci., 25(3):439-48, 2008.
[4] Kozloski, J. et al.,” Identifying, tabulating, and analyz analyzing ing contac contacts ts betwee between n branch branched ed neuron neuron morphologies”, IBM Journal of Research Research and
In conclusion, we will be able to transfer ours oursel elve vess into into comp comput uter erss at some some poin point. t. Most Most
Development, Vol 52, Number 1/2, 2008 [5] Pabl Pablo o de Hera Herass Ciec Ciecho homs mski ki and and Robi Robin n REAL REALTIM TIME E
NEOCO NEOCOR RTICA TICAL L
arguments against this outcome are seemingly easy to
Mange,”
circumvent. They are either simple minded, or simply
COLUMN VISUALIZA VISUALIZATION”, TION”, Visualbiotech, Visualbiotech,
require require further further time for technolog technology y to increase. increase. The
PSE-C EPFL, 1015 Ecublens, Switzerland.
only serious threats raised are also overcome as we
[Courtesy : http://www.visualbiotech.ch]
note note the the comb combin inat atio ion n of biol biolog ogic ical al and and digi digita tall technologies.
As per the development team the Blue brain is expected to be available to the world by 2017. After some years they will personalize it thereafter we will be able to transfer our self into a computer.
[6] “Blue Brain Wikipedia”. [Courtesy http://www.wikipedia.co /bluebrain]
