A team of scientist at the Rockefeller University have developed a mathematical model which describes “how the trillions of interconnections among neurons could maintain a stable but dynamic relationship that leaves the brain sensitive enough to respond to stimulation without veering into a blind seizure.” The model’s key assumption is that neurons function together in localized groups to preserve stability.

(via Rockefeller University)

Are you tired of the endless hits provided by search engines like Google or Yahoo? The semantic Butler is the perfect search tool: Use the semantic Butler as your virtual twin that provides you with information, contacts and news that you are searching for, fully automatic and based on your interests.

Watch how the semantic Butler works (video length: ca. 7 min). An english version of the video will follow.

Semantic system and CENDOO have signed a letter of intent for co-operation and the exclusive development of the world’s first semantic Informtion Butler for the web.

CENDOO is awarded the exclusive agreement for the semantic Butler which is based on the unique technologie of semantic system. CENDOO Information Butler is an automatic service which helps users to retrieve specifically those information that they are looking for.

The expected development time of the Butler will be 6-8 months. The presentation of a first prototype is scheduled for early  2010.

About CENDOO
CENDOO, based in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is a Social Media Company and develops innovative and future-oriented products for the web.

How is it, if it looks like a human, plays like a human, fights like a human, it is a…? At the annual BotPrize, the question was if a computer can fool expert gamers into believing it is a human. The BotPrize is a variant of the Turing Test.

View the video of a BotPrize judge from last year playing against a bot in Unreal Tournament 2004 or read why the BotPrize is important for AI.

(via technologyreview.com)

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are, as their name suggests, computer-implemented analogues of the brain’s neural network.

Researchers of the Mayo Clinic are developing a new method to help help diagnose endocarditis. And they utilised neural networks to analyse clinical data and determine whether or not patients had endocarditis.

Read how this software could exclude endocarditis with 99% confidence in half of patients (medpagetoday.com)

Why is a self-improving system so appealing? It is a system that understands its own behavior at a very deep level. It is able to create its own software code and watch itself executing that code so that it can learn from its own behavior. It can reason about possible changes that it might make to itself. It can change every aspect of itself to improve its behavior in the future. 

The talk of Steve Omohundro (youtube.com) illustrates this powerful approach to building AI. 

The Project Aiko is a functional female android developed by Le Trung. Its operating software BRAINS (Bio Robot Artificial Intelligence Neural System) gives Aiko the ability to learn, identify new objects and also to speak two languages amongst others.

Read and see for yourself the abilties of Aiko (physorg.com)