CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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. What
happen if we create a brain and up load the contents of natural brain into it?
1.1 Blue Brain
The name of the world’s first virtual brain. That means a machine that can function as human
brain. Today scientists are in research to create an artificial brain that can think, response, take
decision, and keep anything in memory. The main aim is to upload human brain into machine. So
that man can think, take decision 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 loose the knowledge,
intelligence, personalities, feelings and memories of that man that can be used for the
development of the human society. No one has ever understood 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 called computer, it was a big question
for all. Technology is growing faster than everything. IBM is now in research to create a virtual
brain, called “Blue brain”. If possible, this would be the first virtual brain of the world. Within 30
years, we will be able to scan ourselves in to the computers. Is this the beginning of eternal life?
1.2 What is Virtual Brain?
Virtual brain is an artificial brain, which does not actually the natural brain, but can act as the
brain. It can think like brain, take decisions based on the past experience, and response as the
natural brain can. It is possible by using a super computer, with a huge amount of storage
capacity, processing power and an interface between the human brain and this artificial one.
Through this interface the data stored in the natural brain can be up loaded into the computer. So
the brain and the knowledge, intelligence of anyone can be kept and used for ever, even after the
death of the person.
1.3 Why we need Virtual Brain?

Page | 1
Today we are developed because of our intelligence. Intelligence is the inborn quality that cannot
be created. Some people have this quality, so that they can think up to such an extent where other
cannot reach. Human society is always need of such intelligence and such an intelligent brain to
have with. But the intelligence is lost along with the body after the death. The virtual brain is a
solution to it. The brain and intelligence will alive even after the death. We often face difficulties
in remembering things such as people’s names, their birthdays, and the spellings of words,
proper grammar, important dates, history, facts etc... In the busy life every one want to be
relaxed. Can’t we use any machine to assist for all these? Virtual brain may be the solution to it.
What if we upload ourselves into computer, we were simply aware of a computer, or maybe,
what if we lived in a computer as a program?
1.4 How it is possible?
First, it is helpful to describe the basic manners in which a person may be uploaded into a
computer. Raymond Kurzweil recently provided an interesting paper on this topic. In it, he
describes both invasive and noninvasive techniques. The most promising is the use of very small
robots, or nanobots. These robots will be small enough to travel throughout our circulatory
systems. Traveling into the spine and brain, they will be able to monitor the activity and structure
of our central nervous system. They will be able to provide an interface with computers that is as
close as our mind can be while we still reside in our biological form. Nanobots could also
carefully scan the structure of our brain, providing a complete readout of the connections
between each neuron. They would also record the current state of the brain. This information,
when entered into a computer, could then continue to function as us. All that is required is a
computer with large enough storage space and processing power. Is the pattern and state of
neuron connections in our brain truly all that makes up our conscious selves? Many people
believe firmly those we possess a soul, while some very technical people believe that quantum
forces contribute to our awareness. But we have to now think technically. Note, however, that we
need not know how the brain actually functions, to transfer it to a computer. We need only know
the media and contents.

CHAPTER 2
Page | 2
 WORKING OF NATURAL BRAIN

2.1 Getting to know more about Human Brain

The brain essentially serves as the body’s information processing centre. It receives signals from
sensory neurons (nerve cell bodies and their axons and dendrites) in the central and peripheral
nervous systems, and in response it generates and sends new signals that instruct the
corresponding parts of the body to move or react in some way. It also integrates signals received
from the body with signals from adjacent areas of the brain, giving rise to perception and
consciousness. The brain weighs about 1,500 grams (3 pounds) and constitutes about 2 percent
of total body weight. It consists of three major divisions:
 The massive paired hemispheres of the cerebrum
 The brainstem consisting of the thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, sub thalamus,
midbrain, Pons, and medulla oblongata
 The cerebellum.
The human ability to feel, interpret and even see is controlled, in computer like
calculations, by the magical nervous system. The nervous system is quite like magic because we
can’t see it, but its working through electric impulses through your body. One of the world’s
most “intricately organized” electron mechanisms is the nervous system. Not even engineers
have come close to making circuit boards and computers as delicate and precise as the nervous
system. To understand this system, one has to know the three simple functions that it puts into
action; sensory input, integration & motor output.

Fig. 2.1. Medial view of the left hemisphere of human brain

Page | 3
2.1.1 Sensory Input
When our eyes see something or our hands touch a warm surface, the sensory cells, also known
as Neurons, send a message straight to your brain. This action of getting information from your
surrounding environment is called sensory input because we are putting things in your brain by
way of your senses.
2.1.2 Integration
Integration is best known as the interpretation of things we have felt, tasted, and touched with
our sensory cells, also known as neurons, into responses that the body recognizes. This process is
all accomplished in the brain where many, many neurons work together to understand the
environment.
2.1.3 Motor Output
Once our brain has interpreted all that we have learned, either by touching, tasting, or using any
other sense, then our brain sends a message through neurons to effecter cells, muscle or gland
cells, which actually work to perform our requests and act upon our environment.
2.2 How we see, hear, feel, & smell?
2.2.1 Nose
Once the smell of food has reached your nose, which is lined with hairs, it travels to an olfactory
bulb, a set of sensory nerves. The nerve impulses travel through the olfactory tract, around, in a
circular way, the thalamus, and finally to the smell sensory cortex of our brain, located between
our eye and ear, where it is interpreted to be understood and memorized by the body.
2.2.2 Eye
Seeing is one of the most pleasing senses of the nervous system. This cherished action primarily
conducted by the lens, which magnifies a seen image, vitreous disc, which bends and rotates an
image against the retina, which translates the image and light by a set of cells. The retina is at the
back of the eye ball where rods and cones structure along with other cells and tissues covert the
image into nerve impulses which are transmitted along the optic nerve to the brain where it is
kept for memory.

2.2.3 Tongue

Page | 4
A set of microscopic buds on the tongue divide everything we eat and drink into Four kinds of
taste: bitter, sour, salty, and sweet. These buds have taste pores, which convert the taste into a
nerve impulse and send the impulse to the brain by a sensory nerve fiber. Upon receiving the
message, our brain classifies the different kinds of taste. This is how we can refer the taste of one
kind of food to another.
2.2.4 Ear
Once the sound or sound wave has entered the drum, it goes to a large structure called the
cochlea. In this snail like structure, the sound waves are divided into pitches. The vibrations of
the pitches in the cochlea are measured by the Corti. This organ transmits the vibration
information to a nerve, which sends it to the brain for interpretation and memory.

CHAPTER 3

Page | 5
 BRAIN SIMULATION

A comparative discussion of Natural Brain and Simulated Brain is given below.

NATURAL BRAIN SIMULATED BRAIN

1. INPUT 1. INPUT
In the nervous system in our body the In a similar way the artificial nervous

neurons are responsible for the message Passing. system can be created.. It has also been tested
The body receives the input by the sensory cells. that these neurons can receive the input from the
These sensory cells produces electric impulses sensory cells. So, the electric impulses from the
which are received by the neurons. The neurons sensory cells can be received through these
transfer these electric impulses to the brain. artificial neurons and send to a super computer
for the interpretation.

2. INTERPRETATION 2. INTERPRETATION

The interpretation of the The interpretation of the

electric impulses received by the brain from the electric impulses received by the artificial neuron
neurons are interpreted in the brain. The can be done by means of a set of register. The
interpretation in the brain is accomplished by the different values in these register will represent
means of certain states of many neurons. different states of the brain.

Page | 6
3. OUTPUT 3. OUTPUT
Based on the states of the neurons Similarly based on the states of the
the brain sends the electric impulses register the output signal can be given to the
representing the responses which are further artificial neurons in the body which will be
received by the sensory cell of our body to received by the sensory cell.
respond.

4. MEMORY.
4. MEMORY
There are certain neurons in our
It is not impossible to store the data
brain which represent certain states permanently.
permanently by using the secondary memory. In
To remember thing we force the neurons to
the similar way the required states of the
represent certain states of the brain permanently
registers can be stored permanently. And when
or for any interesting or serious matter this is
required these information can be retrieved and
happened implicitly.
used.

5. PROCESSING 5. PROCESSING
When we take decision, think In a similar way the decision
about something, or make any computation, making can be done by the computer by using
Logical and arithmetic calculations are done in some stored states and the received input & by
our neural circuitry. The past experience stored performing some arithmetic and logical
and the current input received are used and the calculations.
states of certain neurons are changed to give the
output.

Page | 7
 CHAPTER 4
HOW THE BLUE BRAIN PROJECT WILL WORK?

4.1 Goals & Objectives

The Blue Brain Project is the first comprehensive attempt to reverse-
engineer the mammalian brain, in order to understand brain function and dysfunction through
detailed simulations. The mission in undertaking The Blue Brain Project is to gather all existing
knowledge of the brain, accelerate the global research effort of reverse engineering the structure
and function of the components of the brain, and to build a complete theoretical framework that
can orchestrate the reconstruction of the brain of mammals and man from the genetic to the
whole brain levels, into computer models for simulation, visualization and automatic knowledge
archiving by 2015. Biologically accurate computer models of mammalian and human brains
could provide a new foundation for understanding functions and malfunctions of the brain and
for a new generation of information-based, customized medicine.

Now there is no question how the virtual brain will work .But the
question is how the human brain will be up loaded into it. This is also possible due to the first
growing technology.

Uploading human brain:

The uploading is possible by the use of small robots known as the

Nanobots .These robots are small enough to travel throughout our circulatory system. Traveling
into the spine and brain, they will be able to monitor the activity and structure of our central
nervous system. They will be able to provide an interface with computers that is as close as our
mind can be while we still reside in our biological form. Nanobots could also carefully scan the
structure of our brain, providing a complete readout of the connections. This information, when
entered into a computer, could then continue to function as us. Thus the data stored in the entire
brain will be uploaded into the computer.

Page | 8
 Fig:4.1 NanoBots in Blue Brain

4.2 Architecture of Blue Gene

Blue Gene/L is built using system-on-a-chip technology in which
all functions of a node (except for main memory) are integrated onto a single application-
specific integrated circuit (ASIC). This ASIC includes 2 PowerPC 440 cores running at 700 MHz
Associated with each core is a 64-bit “double” floating point unit (FPU) that can operate in
single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) mode. Each (single) FPU can execute up to 2 “multiply-
adds” per cycle, which means that the peak performance of the chip is 8 floating point operations
per cycle (4 under normal conditions, with no use of SIMD mode). This leads to a peak
performance of 5.6 billion floating point operations per second (gigaflops or GFLOPS) per chip
or node, or 2.8 GFLOPS in non- SIMD mode. The two CPUs (central processing units) can be
used in “coprocessor” mode (resulting in one CPU and 512 MB RAM (random access memory)
for computation, the other CPU being used for processing the I/O (input/output) of the main
CPU) or in “virtual node” mode (in which both CPUs with 256 MB each are used for
computation). So, the aggregate performance of a processor card in virtual node mode is: 2 x
node = 2 x 2.8 GFLOPS = 5.6 GFLOPS and its peak performance (optimal use of double FPU)
is: 2 x 5.6 GFLOPS = 11.2 GFLOPS. A rack (1,024 nodes = 2,048 CPUs) therefore has 2.8

Page | 9
teraflops or TFLOPS, and a peak of 5.6 TFLOPS. The Blue Brain Projects Blue Gene is a 4-rack
system that has 4,096 nodes, equal to 8,192 CPUs, with a peak performance of 22.4 TFLOPS. A
64-rack machine should provide 180 TFLOPS, or 360 TFLOPS at peak performance. 8,192
CPUs, with a peak performance of 22.4 TFLOPS. A 64-rack machine should provide 180
TFLOPS, or 360 TFLOPS at peak performance.

Fig. 4.2. The Blue Gene/L supercomputer architecture

4.3 Modeling the Microcircuit

The scheme shows the minimal essential building blocks
required to reconstruct a neural microcircuit. Microcircuits are composed of neurons and
synaptic connections. To model neurons, the three-dimensional morphology, ion channel
composition, and distributions and electrical properties of the different types of neuron are
required, as well as the total numbers of neurons in the microcircuit and the relative proportions
of the different types of neuron.

Page | 10
 Fig. 4.3. Elementary building blocks of neural microcircuits.
To model synaptic connections, the physiological and pharmacological properties of the different
types of synapse that connect any two types of neuron are required, in addition to statistics on
which part of the axonal arborization is used (presynaptic innervation pattern) to contact which
regions of the target neuron (postsynaptic innervations pattern), how many synapses are involved
in forming connections, and the connectivity statistics between any two types of neuron. Neurons
receive inputs from thousands of other neurons, which are intricately mapped onto different
branches of highly complex dendritic trees and require tens of thousands of compartments to
accurately represent them. There is therefore a minimal size of a microcircuit and a minimal
complexity of a neuron’s morphology that can fully sustain a neuron. A massive increase in

Page | 11
computational power is required to make this quantum leap - an increase that is provided by
IBM’s Blue Gene supercomputer. By exploiting the computing power of Blue Gene, the Blue
Brain Project1 aims to build accurate models of the mammalian brain from first principles. The
first phase of the project is to build a cellular-level (as opposed to a genetic- or molecular-level)
model of a 2-week-old rat somatosensory neocortex corresponding to the dimensions of a
neocortical column (NCC) as defined by the dendritic arborizations of the layer 5 pyramidal
neurons. The combination of infrared differential interference microscopy in brain slices and the
use of multi-neuron patch- clamping allowed the systematic quantification of the molecular,
morphological and electrical properties of the different neurons and their synaptic pathways in a
manner that would allow an accurate reconstruction of the column. Over the past 10 years, the
laboratory has prepared for this reconstruction by developing the multi-neuron patchclamp
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.

Fig. 4.4. Reconstructing the neocortical column.

Page | 12
  The microcircuits (from left to right) for layers 2, 3, 4 and 5.
 A single thick tufted layer 5 pyramidal neuron located within the column.
 One pyramidal neuron in layer 2, a small pyramidal neuron in layer 5 and the large thick
tufted pyramidal neuron in layer
 An image of the NCC, with neurons located in layers 2 to 5.

4.4 Simulating the Microcircuit

Once the microcircuit is built, the exciting work of making the circuit function can begin. All the
8192 processors of the Blue Gene are pressed into service, in a massively parallel computation
solving the complex mathematical equations that govern the electrical activity in each neuron
when a stimulus is applied. As the electrical impulse travels from neuron to neuron, the results
are communicated via inter- processor communication (MPI). Currently, the time required to
simulate the circuit is about two orders of magnitude larger than the actual biological time
simulated. The Blue Brain team is working to streamline the computation so that the circuit can
function in real time - meaning that 1 second of activity can be modeled in one second.

4.5 CURRENT RESEARCH WORK

1. IBM, in partnership with scientists at Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique Federale

de Lausanne's (EPFL) Brain and Mind Institute will begin simulating the brain's biological
systems and output the data as a working 3-dimensional model that will recreate the high-speed
electro-chemical interactions that take place within the brain's interior. These include cognitive
functions such as language, learning, perception and memory in addition to brain malfunction
such as psychiatric disorders like depression and autism. From there, the modeling will expand to
other regions of the brain and, if successful, shed light on the relationships between genetic,
molecular and cognitive functions of the brain.

NEWS: The EPFL Blue Gene was the 8th fastest supercomputer in the world

Page | 13
 Fig: 4.5 Current research in IBM

2. Researchers at Microsoft's Media Presence Lab are developing a "virtual brain," a PC-based
database that holds a record of an individual's complete life experience. Called MyLifeBits, the
project aims to make this database of human memories searchable in the manner of a
conventional search engine. "By 2047, almost all information will be in cyberspace including all
knowledge and creative works, said one of the project's leaders, Gordon Bell.

3. According to the new scientist Magazine report Rodrigo Laje and Gabriel Mindlin of the
University of Buenos Aires in Argentina have devised a computer model of a region of the brain
called the RA nucleus which controls muscles in the lungs and vocal folds.
The model brain can accurately echo the song of a South American sparrow. The bird
sing by forcing air from their lungs past folds of tissue in the voice box. The electric impulses
from the brain that force the lungs had been recorded and when the equivalent impulses were
passed to the computer model of the lungs of the bird it begins to sing like the bird.

Mr. Mindlin told the weekly science magazine he was surprised that simple instructions
from the brain change a constant signal into a complex series of bursts to produce the intricacies
of birdsong. He plans to add more brain power to his model which might reveal how birds
improve their songs and learn them from other birds.

He hopes it might one day be possible to use similar models to map the neural [brain]
circuitry of animals without distressing lab experiments - just by recording their calls and
movements, the magazine said.

Page | 14
 CHAPTER 5

APPLICATIONS OF BLUE BRAIN PROJECT

5.1 What can we learn from Blue Brain?

Detailed, biologically accurate brain simulations offer the opportunity to answer some
fundamental questions about the brain that cannot be addressed with any current experimental or
theoretical approaches. These include,
5.1.1 Defining functions of the basic elements
Despite a century of experimental and theoretical research, we are unable to provide a
comprehensive definition of the computational function of different ion channels, receptors,
neurons or synaptic pathways in the brain. A detailed model will allow fine control of any of
these elements and allow a systematic investigation of their contribution to the emergent
behaviour.
5.1.2 Understanding complexity
At present, detailed, accurate brain simulations are the only approach that could allow us to
explain why the brain needs to use many different ion channels, neurons and synapses, a
spectrum of receptors, and complex dendritic and axonal arborizations, rather than the
simplified, uniform types found in many models.
5.1.3 Exploring the role of dendrites.
This is the only current approach to explore the dendritic object theory, which proposes that
three-dimensional voltage objects are generated continuously across dendritic segments
regardless of the origin of the neurons, and that spikes are used to maintain such dendritic
objects.
5.1.4 Revealing functional diversity
Most models engineer a specific function, whereas a spectrum of functions might be possible
with a biologically based design. Understanding memory storage and retrieval. This approach
offers the possibility of determining the manner in which representations of information are
imprinted in the circuit for storage and retrieval, and could reveal the part that different types of
neuron play in these crucial functions.

Page | 15
5.1.5 Tracking the emergence of intelligence
This approach offers the possibility to re-trace the steps taken by a network of neurons in the
emergence of electrical states used to embody representations of the
organism and its world.
5.1.6 Identifying points of vulnerability
Although the neocortex confers immense computational power to mammals, defects are
common, with catastrophic cognitive effects. At present, a detailed model is the only approach
that could produce a list of the most vulnerable circuit parameters, revealing likely candidates for
dysfunction and targets for treatment.
5.1.7 Simulating disease and developing treatments
Such simulations could be used to test hypotheses for the pathogenesis of neurological and
psychiatric diseases, and to develop and test new treatment strategies.
5.1.8 Providing a circuit design platform
Detailed models could reveal powerful circuit designs that could be implemented into silicone
chips for use as intelligence devices in industry.
5.2 Applications of Blue Brain:
The main applications of the blue brain are given below
5.2.1 Gathering and Testing 100 Years of Data
The most immediate benefit is to provide a working model into which the past 100 years
knowledge about the microstructure and workings of the neocortical column can be gathered and
tested. The Blue Column will therefore also produce a virtual library to explore in 3D the micro
architecture of the neocortex and access all key research relating to its structure and function.
5.2.2 Cracking the Neural Code
The Neural Code refers to how the brain builds objects using electrical patterns. In the same way
that the neuron is the elementary cell for computing in the brain, the NCC is the elementary
network for computing in the neocortex. Creating an accurate replica of the NCC which
faithfully reproduces the emergent electrical dynamics of the real microcircuit, is an absolute
requirement to revealing how the neocortex processes, stores and retrieves information.

Page | 16
5.2.3 Understanding Neocortical Information Processing
The power of an accurate simulation lies in the predictions that can be generated about the
neocortex. Indeed, iterations between simulations and experiments are essential to build an
accurate copy of the NCC. These iterations are therefore expected to reveal the function of
individual elements (neurons, synapses, ion channels, receptors), pathways (mono-synaptic,
disynaptic, multisynaptic loops) and physiological processes (functional properties, learning,
reward, goal-oriented behavior).
5.2.4 A Novel Tool for Drug Discovery for Brain Disorders
Understanding the functions of different elements and pathways of the NCC will provide a
concrete foundation to explore the cellular and synaptic bases of a wide spectrum of neurological
and psychiatric diseases. The impact of receptor, ion channel, cellular and synaptic deficits could
be tested in simulations and the optimal experimental tests can be determined.
5.2.5 A Global Facility
A software replica of a NCC will allow researchers to explore hypotheses of brain function and
dysfunction accelerating research. Simulation runs could determine which parameters should be
used and measured in the experiments. An advanced 2D, 3D and 3D immersive visualization
system will allow “imaging” of many aspects of neural dynamics during processing, storage and
retrieval of information. Such imaging experiments may be impossible in reality or may be
prohibitively expensive to perform.
5.2.6 A Foundation for Whole Brain Simulations
With current and envisage able future computer technology it seems unlikely that a mammalian
brain can be simulated with full cellular and synaptic complexity (above the molecular level). An
accurate replica of an NCC is therefore required in
order to generate reduced models that retain critical functions and computational capabilities,
which can be duplicated and interconnected to form neocortical brain regions. Knowledge of the
NCC architecture can be transferred to facilitate reconstruction of sub cortical brain regions.
5.2.7 A Foundation for Molecular Modelling of Brain Function
An accurate cellular replica of the neocortical column will provide the first and essential step to a
gradual increase in model complexity moving towards a molecular level description of the
neocortex with biochemical pathways being simulated. A molecular level model of the NCC will

Page | 17
provide the substrate for interfacing gene expression with the network structure and function.
The NCC lies at the interface between the genes and complex cognitive functions. Establishing
this link will allow predictions of the cognitive consequences of genetic disorders and allow
reverse engineering of cognitive deficits to determine the genetic and molecular causes. This
level of simulation will become a reality with the most advanced phase of Blue Gene
development.

CHAPTER 6
EXAMPLES FOR BLUE BRAIN

Page | 18
 The reason we need a blue brain is explained by examples. It is a simple chip
that can be installed into the human brain for which the short term memory and volatile
memory at the old age can be avoided.
Example1:
A very good example of utilization of blue brain is the case "short term memory". In
some movies we might have noticed that a person might behaving short term memories

Fig:6.1 Example for short term memory

A another situation is that when a person gets older, then he starts forgetting or takes a bit
more time to recognize to a person.

Page | 19
 Fig:6.2 Example of Old people

CHAPTER 7
ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS

Page | 20
6.1 Advantages
 We can remember things without any effort.
 Decision can be made without the presence of a person.
 Even after the death of a man his intelligence can be used.
 The activity of different animals can be understood. That means by interpretation of the
electric impulses from the brain of the animals, their thinking can be understood
easily.
 It would allow the deaf to hear via direct nerve stimulation, and also be helpful
for many psychological diseases. By down loading the contents of the brain that
was uploaded into the computer, the man can get rid from the madness.

6.2 Limitations
Further, there are many new dangers these technologies will open. We will be
Susceptible to new forms of harm.
 We become dependent upon the computer systems.
 Others may use technical knowledge against us.
 Computer viruses will pose an increasingly critical threat.
 The real threat, however, is the fear that people will have of new technologies. That fear
may culminate in a large resistance. Clear evidence of this type of fear is found today
with respect to human cloning.

CHAPTER 8
Page | 21
 FUTURE PERSPECTIVE

The synthesis era in neuroscience started with the launch of the Human Brain Project and is an
inevitable phase triggered by a critical amount of fundamental data. The data set does not need to
be complete before such a phase can begin. Indeed, it is essential to guide reductionist research
into the deeper facets of brain structure and function. As a complement to experimental research,
it offers rapid assessment of the probable effect of a new finding on preexisting knowledge,
which can no longer be managed completely by any one researcher. Detailed models will
probably become the final form of databases that are used to organize all knowledge of the brain
and allow hypothesis testing, rapid diagnoses of brain malfunction, as well as development of
treatments for neurological disorders. In short, we can hope to learn a great deal about brain
function and disfunction from accurate models of the brain .The time taken to build detailed
models of the brain depends on the level of detail that is captured. Indeed, the first version of the
Blue Column, which has 10,000 neurons, has already been built and simulated; it is the
refinement of the detailed properties and calibration of the circuit that takes time. A model of the
entire brain at the cellular level will probably take the next decade. There is no fundamental
obstacle to modeling the brain and it is therefore likely that we 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 Deep Blue, Blue Brain will allow us to challenge the foundations of our understanding of
intelligence and generate new theories of consciousness.

CHAPTER 9
CONCLUSION
Page | 22
 In conclusion, we will be able to transfer ourselves into computers at some point. Most
arguments against this outcome are seemingly easy to circumvent. They are either simple
minded, or simply require further time for technology to increase. The only serious threats raised
are also overcome as we note the combination of biological and digital technologies.

REFERENCES

Page | 23
[1] “Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society”, 2008. EMBS 2008. 30th Annual
International Conference of the IEEE
[2] Henry Markram, “The Blue Brain Project”, Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2006
February.
[3] Simulated brain closer to thought BBC News 22 April 2009.
[4] “Project Milestones”. Blue Brain.
http://bluebrain.epfl.ch/Jahia/site/bluebrain/op/edit/pid/19085
[5] Graham-Rowe, Duncan. “Mission to build a simulated brain begins”, NewScientist,
June 2005. pp. 1879-85.
[6] Blue Gene: http://www.research.ibm.com/bluegene
[7] The Blue Brain Project: http://bluebrainproject.epfl.ch

Page | 24