The University of Arizona

Modeling Coordinate Transformations in Neural and Neuromorphic Systems

Program in Applied Mathematics Colloquium

Modeling Coordinate Transformations in Neural and Neuromorphic Systems
Series: Program in Applied Mathematics Colloquium
Location: Hybrid: MATH, 501/Online
Presenter: Frances Chance, Computational Neuroscience, Department of Cognitive and Emerging Computing, Sandia National Laboratory

Abstract: Animals excel at a wide range behaviors, many of which are essential for survival. For example, dragonflies are aerial predators, known for both their speed and high success rate, that must perform fast, accurate, and efficient calculations to survive. I will present a neural network model, inspired by the dragonfly nervous system, that calculates turning for successful prey interception. The model relies upon a coordinate transformation from eye-coordinates to body-coordinates, an operation that must be performed by almost any animal nervous system relying upon sensory information to interact with the external world. I will discuss how I and collaborators are combining neuroscience experiments, modeling studies, and exploration of neuromorphic architectures to understand how the biological dragonfly nervous system performs coordinate transformations and to develop novel approaches for efficient neural-inspired computation.

The speaker will present in person. 

https://www.sandia.gov/ccr/staff/frances-s-chance/

Math, 501 and Zoom:   https://arizona.zoom.us/j/81337180102 Password:  applied