The Blue Brain Project aims to reverse engineer the mammalian brain down to the molecular level using supercomputers like IBM’s Blue Gene. The initial goal was to simulate a rat cortical column containing 60,000 neurons. Long term goals include fully simulating the human brain, which project director Henry Markram predicted could be done within 10 years. The Blue Brain Project uses detailed biophysical models and supercomputing power to better understand brain function and intelligence through highly detailed brain simulations.

2. HISTORY

3.  The Blue Brain Project is an attempt to create a synthetic brain by reverse-
engineering the Mammalian brain(Human or any living entity’s brain)
down to the molecular level.
 The aim of the project, founded in May 2005 by the Brain and Mind
Institute of Switzerland is to study the brain's architectural and functional
principles. The project is headed by the Institute's director, Henry Markram.
 Using a Blue Gene supercomputer running Michael Hines's NEURON
software, the simulation does not consist simply of an artificial neural
network, but involves a biologically realistic model of neurons. It is hoped
that it will eventually shed light on the nature of consciousness.

4.  There are a number of sub-projects, including the Cajal Blue Brain,
coordinated by the Supercomputing and Visualization Center of Madrid
(CeSViMa), and others run by universities and independent laboratories.
PEOPLE BEHIND BLUE BRAIN PROJECT :
 Project Director : Prof Henry markram

5. 1. Neocortical column modelling
 The initial goal of the project, completed in December 2006,
was the simulation of a rat neocortical column, which can be
considered the smallest functional unit of the neocortex. Such
a column is about 2 mm tall, has a diameter of 0.5 mm and
contains about 60,000 neurons in humans.

6. 2. Whole brain simulation
A longer term goal is to build a detailed, functional simulation of the
physiological processes in the human brain
 "It is not impossible to build a human brain and we can do it in 10
years," Henry Markram, director of the Blue Brain Project said in 2009
at the TED conference in Oxford.
 In a BBC World Service interview he said: "If we build it correctly it
should speak and have an intelligence and behave very much as a
human does."

7. NECESSITY

8.  Human brain is the most valuable creation of God.
The man is called intelligent because of the brain.
The brain translates the information delivered by
the impulses , which then enables the person to
react.
 But we loss the knowledge of a brain when the body
is destroyed after the death of man. That
knowledge might have been used for the
development of the human society.
 That’s why the Blue brain is created so that we can
save the memory of a mammalian brain in a super
computer.

9. INTRODUCTION

10.  The Blue Brain Project is an attempt to create a synthetic
brain by reverse-engineering the mammalian brain down to
the molecular level in order to understand brain function
through detailed simulations.
 Simply modeling of Mammalian Brain
 Is it really possible to model a human brain?

11.  “YES", The IBM is now developing a virtual brain known as
the BLUE BRAIN.
 IBM’s Blue Gene supercomputer allows a quantum leap in
the level of detail at which the brain can be modelled.
 It would be the worlds first virtual brain.
 In 2020, we will be able to scan ourselves into the
computers.

12.  On 1 July 2005, the Brain Mind Institute (BMI) and IBM
(International Business Machines) launched the Blue Brain
Project Using the enormous computing power of IBM’s
prototype Blue Gene/L supercomputer.
 The aims of this ambitious initiative are to simulate the brains
of mammals with a high level of biological accuracy and,
ultimately, to study the steps involved in the emergence of
biological intelligence.

14. Hardware and Software
Requirements for modelling
the Brain

15.  Memory with a very large storing capacity.
 Processor with a very high processing power.
 A very wide network.
 A program to convert the electric impulses from the brain to input
signal, which is to be received by the computer and vice versa.
 very powerful Nanobots to act as the interface between the natural
brain and the computer.
Finally it is a SUPERCOMPUTER

16. Modelling
 Neurons receive inputs from thousands of other neurons, and
has branches of highly complex dendritic trees and require
tens of thousands of compartments to accurately represent
them.
 Therefore a massive increase in computational power is
required to make this quantum leap — an increase that is
provided by IBM’s Blue Gene supercomputer.
 Using a Blue Gene supercomputer running Michael Hines's
NEURON software, the simulation does not consist simply of an
artificial neural network, but involves a biologically realistic
model of neurons.

17.  Molecular, morphological and electrical properties of the
different neurons and their synaptic pathways are
quantitated by Infrared differential interference
microscopy in brain slices and the use of multi-neuron
patch-clamping
 Over the past 10 years, the laboratory has prepared for
this reconstruction by developing the multi-neuron patch-
clamp approach, recording from thousands of neocortical
neurons and their synaptic connections, and developing
quantitative approaches to allow a complete numerical
breakdown of
the elementary building blocks of the NCC.

18. 2013 February - decision expected on Human Brain
Project funding of €1 billion over 10 years
from the EU
Simulations using NEURON software ported to
the Blue Gene/Q system in Jülich
2014 Cellular-level simulation of the entire rat
brain neocortex, ~100 mesocircuits
NEURON simulation software ported to the
DEEP Cluster-Booster prototype system in
Jülich
2020 Exascale simulations start on the DEEP
Cluster-Booster production system in Jülich
2023 Cellular-level simulation of the entire human
brain, equivalent to 1,000x the size of the rat
brain

19.  Intelligence of a person is not lost even after his
death.
 Things can be remembered easily without much
effort.
 Allowing deaf to hear via nerve simulation.
 Making decisions without the presence of the
person.

20.  We become dependent upon the computer.
 Others may use technical knowledge against
us.
 Another fear is found today with respect to
human cloning.

21. • We will be
able to turn
ourselves
into
computers.

22. References :
 Nature reviews : Neuroscience
 http://bluebrain.epfl.ch/