Simulated Brain

Canadian neuroscientists recently made a huge breakthrough in simulating the biological function of the brain. The model, known as Spaun (Semantic Pointer Architecture Unified Network), bridges the “brain-behavior gap” with 2.5 million computer-generated neurons. By simulating the actual voltages and currents observed in living neurons, Spaun can mimic the cognitive activity that occurs in the prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus and other parts of the human brain.

A simulated eye gives Spaun the ability to recognize numbers and objects, and a mechanical arm enables it to write and draw. It’s capable of shifting from one task to another, such as memorizing a list, learning a new pattern, or figuring out the best answer to a question. It has even passed some basic functions of an IQ test.

Although it is nowhere near as complex as a real brain, Spaun captures how different components of the brain interact and describes key facets of perception, cognition and behavior in ways that other models have not.