Massimiliano Versace
Encyclopedia
Massimiliano Versace is a senior research scientist in the Neuromorphics Lab at Boston University
in the Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems, where he founded and is currently the director of the Neuromorphics Lab. He is co-leading the Boston University
neural modeling team working with Hewlett-Packard
on the DARPA SyNAPSE
Program. In December 2010, the IEEE Spectrum
published a cover page featured article written by Massimiliano and a graduate student, Ben Chandler, regarding the plan to develop a large scale brain model making use of memristor
based technologies being developed by Hewlett Packard. The Modular Neural Exploring Traveling Agent (MoNETA) will be the first large-scale neural network model to implement whole-brain circuits to power a virtual and robotic agent compatibly with memristor
-based hardware computations. A recent cover page featured article on IEEE Computer features the software platform and modeling implemented by the joint HP and Boston University teams. His work has also been featured on the Italian national daily business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore
.
and a PhD in Cognitive and Neural Systems from Boston University in 2007. At Boston University, he is now a senior research scientist, Neuromorphics Lab founding director, and in Co-PI of the DARPA SyNAPSE effort in collaboration with Hewlett Packard (12/2009 to 3/2011).
- in particular applied to cortical models of learning and memory, and how to build intelligent machines equipped with low-power, high density neural chips that implement large-scale brain circuits of increasing complexity. His Synchonous Matching Adaptive Resonance Theory (SMART) model shows spiking
laminar cortical circuits self-organize and stably learn relevant information, and how these circuits be embedded in low-power, memristor
based hybrid CMOS
chip and used to solve challenging pattern recognition problems.
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in the Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems, where he founded and is currently the director of the Neuromorphics Lab. He is co-leading the Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
neural modeling team working with Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
on the DARPA SyNAPSE
SyNAPSE
SyNAPSE is a DARPA program that aims to develop electronic neuromorphic machine technology that scales to biological levels. More simply stated, it is an attempt to build a new kind of computer with similar form, function, and architecture to the mammalian brain...
Program. In December 2010, the IEEE Spectrum
IEEE Spectrum
IEEE Spectrum is a magazine edited by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE's description of it is:IEEE Spectrum began publishing in January 1964 as a successor to Electrical Engineering...
published a cover page featured article written by Massimiliano and a graduate student, Ben Chandler, regarding the plan to develop a large scale brain model making use of memristor
Memristor
Memristor is a passive two-terminal electrical component envisioned by Leon Chua as a fundamental non-linear circuit element relating charge and magnetic flux linkage...
based technologies being developed by Hewlett Packard. The Modular Neural Exploring Traveling Agent (MoNETA) will be the first large-scale neural network model to implement whole-brain circuits to power a virtual and robotic agent compatibly with memristor
Memristor
Memristor is a passive two-terminal electrical component envisioned by Leon Chua as a fundamental non-linear circuit element relating charge and magnetic flux linkage...
-based hardware computations. A recent cover page featured article on IEEE Computer features the software platform and modeling implemented by the joint HP and Boston University teams. His work has also been featured on the Italian national daily business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore
Il Sole 24 Ore
Il Sole 24 Ore is an Italian national daily business newspaper owned by Confindustria, the Italian employers' federation.It was founded on 1965-11-09 as a merger between Il Sole, founded in 1865, and 24 Ore, founded in 1946. The headquarters are in Milan...
.
Professional Life
Massimiliano grew up in Monfalcone, Italy and came to the United States in 2001 as a Fullbright Scholar. Massimiliano holds a Masters in psychology from the University of TriesteUniversity of Trieste
The University of Trieste is a medium-sized university in Trieste in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. The university consists of 12 faculties, boasts a wide and almost complete range of university courses and currently has about 23,000 students enrolled and 1,000 professors...
and a PhD in Cognitive and Neural Systems from Boston University in 2007. At Boston University, he is now a senior research scientist, Neuromorphics Lab founding director, and in Co-PI of the DARPA SyNAPSE effort in collaboration with Hewlett Packard (12/2009 to 3/2011).
Awards
Massimiliano Versace was named Outstanding Researcher at the Global Conference on Business and Finance, Las Vegas (along with Charles Wong), was awarded top cited article 2008-2010 in Brain Research, was recipient of the CELEST Award for Computational Modeling of Brain and Behavior in 2009, as well as recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship in 2001.Neural Modeling
Massimiliano Versace's research interests are focused on neural networksNeural Networks
Neural Networks is the official journal of the three oldest societies dedicated to research in neural networks: International Neural Network Society, European Neural Network Society and Japanese Neural Network Society, published by Elsevier...
- in particular applied to cortical models of learning and memory, and how to build intelligent machines equipped with low-power, high density neural chips that implement large-scale brain circuits of increasing complexity. His Synchonous Matching Adaptive Resonance Theory (SMART) model shows spiking
Spiking neural network
Spiking neural networks fall into the third generation of neural network models, increasing the level of realism in a neural simulation. In addition to neuronal and synaptic state, SNNs also incorporate the concept of time into their operating model...
laminar cortical circuits self-organize and stably learn relevant information, and how these circuits be embedded in low-power, memristor
Memristor
Memristor is a passive two-terminal electrical component envisioned by Leon Chua as a fundamental non-linear circuit element relating charge and magnetic flux linkage...
based hybrid CMOS
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor is a technology for constructing integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits...
chip and used to solve challenging pattern recognition problems.
External links
- New Scientist August 2011
- The Neuromorphics Lab on CNN July 2011
- Silicon Brains, Thought Leaders, AZoRobotics July 2011
- Il Sole 24, Italian business newspaper March 2011
- The Boston University Neuromorphic Lab working on the DARPA SyNAPSE project to implement neural models on memristor hardware
- A blog with a section dedicated to neuroscience and its applications
- A talk on the progress the Boston University Neuromorphic Lab effort in building the memristor-based MoNETA model
- The IEEE Spectrum cover-page article "MoNETA: A Mind Made from Memristors" featuring the memristor-based neural model, December 1, 2010
- "How DARPA Is Making a Machine Mind out of Memristors", Popular Science December 3, 2010
- "Neuron-like computer hardware finally gets software", MSNBC December 6, 2010