- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Deep Learning Overview - Draft
by Juergen Schmidhuber May 29, 2014

May 29, 2014

Dear computational neuroscientists, here the preliminary draft of an invited Deep Learning overview: http://www.idsia.ch/~juergen/DeepLearning15May2014.pdf It mostly consists of references (about 800 entries so far). Important citations are still missing though. As a machine learning researcher, I am obsessed with credit assignment. In case you know of references to add or correct, please send them with brief explanations to juergen(a)idsia.ch (NOT TO THE ENTIRE LIST!), preferably together with URL links to PDFs for verification. Please also do not hesitate to send me additional corrections / improvements / suggestions / Deep Learning success stories with feedforward and recurrent neural networks. I'll post a revised version later. Thanks a lot! Abstract. In recent years, deep artificial neural networks (including recurrent ones) have won numerous contests in pattern recognition and machine learning. This historical survey compactly summarises relevant work, much of it from the previous millennium. Shallow and deep learners are distinguished by the depth of their credit assignment paths, which are chains of possibly learnable, causal links between actions and effects. I review deep supervised learning (also recapitulating the history of backpropagation), unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning & evolutionary computation, and indirect search for short programs encoding deep and large networks. Juergen Schmidhuber http://www.idsia.ch/~juergen/ http://www.idsia.ch/~juergen/whatsnew.html

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Postdoc in Neuromechanics and Optogenetics at Temple University
by Andrew Spence May 28, 2014

May 28, 2014

Dear colleagues, We have the following postdoc position available within the Spence Lab, Department of Bioengineering, at Temple University in Philadelphia, USA. See www.spencelab.com for information about the group. Cheers! Andrew Spence Have you ever wondered how legged animals manage to move with dexterity, economy, and robustness over challenging terrain? Or how information from sense organs in different parts of your body is used when you move quickly? Have you heard about some of the new neurogenetic technologies, like optogenetics, that are making it possible for us to switch on and off specific parts of the nervous system with light? Members of the Spence Lab are working to answer these questions, using cutting edge techniques including optogenetics, computer vision, and robotics. We aim to explore and examine, as much as possible, freely behaving animals, with an increasing focus on mice. The Spence Lab invites applications from prospective postdocs from a wide range of backgrounds, including neuroscience, biomechanics, physics, physiology, engineering, computer science, and robotics. This postdoc is a three-year Army Research Office funded position that will use optogenetic tools in mice to understand how the structure of the quadrupedal gait controller, and sensory feedback from the limbs, facilitate dynamic locomotion. The Department of Bioengineering at Temple University is a brand new department with newly renovated facilities, and the Spence Lab is investing in state of the art equipment. Temple University lies in Philadelphia, a city known for it's restaurants and vibrant culture, housing a large number of universities, and with excellent links to New York City (two hours away) and Washington DC (2.5 hours away). For further information on the group and it's current activities, please visit www.spencelab.com If you are interested and qualified, please send a cover letter, CV, transcripts and relevant publications to aspence(a)temple.edu. The position is available until filled. Dr. Andrew Spence Associate Professor Department of Bioengineering Engineering Building Room 814 College of Engineering Temple University 1947 N. 12th St. Philadelphia, PA 19122 Phone: 215-204-3056 Email: aspence(a)temple.edu www.spencelab.com <http://www.spencelab.com/>

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Bernstein Workshop "Characterizing Natural Scenes": Second Call for Abstracts/Contributed Talks
by Arno Onken May 28, 2014

May 28, 2014

Second Call for Abstracts/Contributed Talks You are invited to participate in the pre-conference Bernstein workshop "Characterizing Natural Scenes: Retinal Coding and Statistical Theory", taking place in Göttingen, Germany, on September 2-3, 2014. Please find the preliminary schedule at workshop URL: https://sites.google.com/site/jiankliu/Meetings/2014bccn_workshop The workshop chairs will select a couple of abstracts for short oral presentation at the workshop. All the abstracts will be presented as posters during the Bernstein conference on September 3-4. However, the workshop could hold a separate poster session based on the number and quality of abstracts that we receive. To participate in the workshop please submit the abstract (an extended version is preferred) as a PDF attachment via email to Jian Liu (jian.liu(a)med.uni-goettingen.de) or Arno Onken (arno.onken(a)iit.it) The deadline for submission is August 1. Please note that abstract submission for the main conference is already closed while abstract submission for this workshop is still open. REGISTRATION: Please refer to the Bernstein Conference 2014 for registration and venue information. http://www.bernstein-conference.de/ WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION: How does the retina process natural visual inputs? What role do the many types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) play in this? Experiments with specific artificial stimuli have suggested that individual types of RGCs may have specific functional roles in visual processing, yet it is not clear how these simplified functional investigations relate to the processing of natural images and movies. An important ingredient for future analysis will be a better understanding of the complex statistical properties of natural scenes, as revealed by theoreticians. The relationship between natural visual statistics and retinal coding provides a promising direction for improving our understanding of the visual system. But we still lack a systematic framework for understanding the underlying mechanisms of how relevant features of natural scenes are encoded by the retina. In this workshop, we expect mutual benefits for both natural scene statistics and retinal coding. We will bring together experimentalists and theoreticians in order to highlight recent progress, encourage exchange of insights, and stimulate new ideas for future work with the following core questions: 1) How can we develop useful descriptions of the statistics of natural scenes that are relevant for retinal coding? 2) How can we characterize the functional roles of different RGC types in processing natural scenes? 3) Which coding strategies are present at the level of RGC populations? 4) How can we unify the acquired knowledge of natural scenes and neural data to develop better tools for analysis? CONFIRMED SPEAKERS: * Vijay Balasubramanian (University of Pennsylvania) * Philipp Berens (BCCN, Tübingen) * Thomas Euler (University of Tübingen) * Felix Franke (ETH Zurich) * Olivier Marre (Vision Institute, Paris) * Aman Saleem (University College London) * Maneesh Sahani (University College London) * Rava A. da Silveira (ENS, Paris) We are looking forward to seeing you in Göttingen. Workshop organizers: Jian Liu (University Medical Center Göttingen and BCCN Göttingen) Arno Onken (Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems

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Valentino Braitenberg Award for Computational Neuroscience - Call for Nominations
by Kerstin Schwarzwälder May 28, 2014

May 28, 2014

Dear Colleagues, The Bernstein Association for Computational Neuroscience <http://www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-association> invites nominations for the *V**alentino Braitenberg Award for Computational Neuroscience.* The award is biannually presented by the Bernstein Association to a scientist in recognition of outstanding research that contributes to our understanding of the functioning of the brain. The major criterion for the award is the impact or potential impact of the recipient's research on the field of brain science. In the spirit of Valentino Braitenberg's research, special emphasis is given to theoretical studies elucidating the functional implications of brain structures and their neuronal network dynamics. The awardee receives a €5.000 prize donated by the Autonome Provinz Bozen Südtirol as well as complimentary participation (registration, travel, and hotel accomodation) in the Bernstein Conference 2014. Here, the prize is awarded together with a Golden Neuron pin badge in a special ceremony that includes the Valentino Braitenberg lecture given by the awardee. Nominations may be submitted by scientists working in the field of Computational Neuroscience and should include toe following documents: - One-page laudation, in which the scientific work of the candidate is honored with regard to the award's criteria - CV and list of publications *Deadline for nominations is **June 16, 2014 *by e-mail to info(a)bcos.uni-freiburg.de The call for nominations can be found under the followingn URL: www.nncn.de/en/bernstein-association/valentino-braitenberg-award-for-comput… For inquiries please contact info(a)bcos.uni-freiburg.de Best regards, Andrea Huber Brösamle -- Dr. Andrea Huber Brösamle Head of the Bernstein Coordination Site (BCOS) Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg Hansastr. 9A 79104 Freiburg, Germany phone: +49 761 203 9583 fax: +49 761 203 9585 andrea.huber(a)bcos.uni-freiburg.de www.nncn.de Twitter: NNCN_Germany YouTube: Bernstein TV Facebook: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany LinkedIn: Bernstein Network Computational Neuroscience, Germany

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Special Issue on "Underwater Sensor Networks" in (JSAN)
by Sandra Sendra May 28, 2014

May 28, 2014

=================================================== Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks (JSAN) Special Issue "Underwater Sensor Networks" http://www.mdpi.com/journal/jsan/special_issues/usn Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2014 ---------------------------------------------------- === SPECIAL ISSUE === New advances in information technologies, circuits, systems and communication protocols have made possible the deployment of underwater sensor networks. These issues have lead researchers to propose new underwater sensor nodes, sensor node placement, protocols for their communication, architectures, and study new ways to communicate with higher bandwidth at higher distances. Moreover, the range of underwater applications is growing fast because of the last research in oceanography, marine science and aquiculture, so there is a need of underwater sensor networks in order to support these disciplines. This special Issue is tries to collect unpublished works on theory and practice on underwater sensor networks, with special interest on real implementations and deployments. We also seek new proposals on wireless communication technologies. === KEYWORDS === The Special Issue "Underwater Sensor Networks" topics include (but are not limited to) the following: - Underwater sensor nodes - Underwater sensor node placement - Routing protocols for underwater sensor networks - Underwater communications - Underwater architectures - Underwater wireless communications - Underwater sensor network deployments === SUBMISSION === Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form (http://www.mdpi.com/user/manuscripts/upload/?journal=jsan) Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website. Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks is an international peer-reviewed Open Access quarterly journal published by MDPI. Please visit the Instructions for Authors page (http://www.mdpi.com/journal/jsan/instructions) before submitting a manuscript. For the first couple of issues the Article Processing Charge (APC) will be waived for well-prepared manuscripts. English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections. === SPECIAL ISSUE EDITORS === Guest Editors Prof. Dr. Jaime Lloret Mauri (jlloret(a)dcom.upv.es) Integrated Management Coastal Research Institute, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera 46022, Valencia, Spain Dr. Sandra Sendra (sansenco(a)posgrado.upv.es) Integrated Management Coastal Research Institute, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera 46022, Valencia, Spain ===================================================

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NIPS 2014 Call for Workshops
by Chris Hiestand May 27, 2014

May 27, 2014

NIPS*2014 Post-Conference Workshops Friday December 12 and Saturday December 13, 2014 Palais des Congrès de Montréal/Convention and Exhibition Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Following the NIPS*2014 main conference, workshops on a variety of current topics will be held on Friday December 12 and Saturday December 13, 2014, in Montreal, Canada. We invite researchers interested in chairing one of these workshops to submit workshop proposals. The goal of the workshops is to provide an informal forum for researchers to discuss important research questions and challenges. Controversial issues, open problems, and comparisons of competing approaches are encouraged as workshop topics. There will be seven hours of workshop meetings per day, split into morning and afternoon sessions, with free time between the sessions for individual exchange or outdoor activities. Note that this year, there is no skiing at NIPS; the workshop schedule will thus differ from past NIPS workshops (the morning session will be 8:30am-12pm, and the afternoon session will be 3pm-6:30pm). Francis Bach and Amir Globerson NIPS*2014 Workshops Chairs Web URL: http://nips.cc/Conferences/2014/CallForWorkshops

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Call for Demonstrations, NIPS 2014
by Hugo Larochelle May 27, 2014

May 27, 2014

The Neural Information Processing Systems Conference 2014 http://nips.cc/Conferences/2014/ has a Demonstration Track running in parallel with some of the evening Poster Sessions, December 8-11, 2014, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Demonstration Proposal Deadline: Monday September 15, 2014, 11pm Universal Time (4pm Pacific Daylight Time). http://nips.cc/Conferences/2014/CallForDemonstrations Demonstrations offer a unique opportunity to showcase: • Hardware technology • Software systems • Neuromorphic and biologically-inspired systems • Robotics or other systems, which are relevant to the technical areas covered by NIPS (see Call for Papers http://nips.cc/Conferences/2014/CallForPapers) Demonstrations must show novel technology and must be run live, preferably with some interactive parts. Unlike poster presentations or slide shows, live action and interaction with the audience are critical elements. Submissions: Submission of demo proposals at the following URL: https://nips.cc/Demonstrators/ You will be asked to fill a questionnaire and describe clearly: • the technology demonstrated • the elements of novelty • the live action part • the interactive part • the equipment brought by the demonstrator • the equipment required at the place of the demo Evaluation Criteria: Submissions will be refereed on the basis of technical quality, novelty, live action, and potential for interaction. Demonstration chair: Hugo Larochelle <demonstration-ch...(a)nips.cc<http://nips.cc/>> http://nips.cc/Conferences/2014/CallForDemonstrations

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SAB 2014 Early registration: May 31
by Enric Cervera Mateu May 27, 2014

May 27, 2014

Dear Colleagues, This is a friendly reminder that the SAB 2104 registration is open. Early registration deadline is May 31, 2014. Late registration rates will apply starting from June 1, 2014. Please refer to the conference website for details: http://sab2014.org/registration We look forward to seeing you at Castellon, Spain >From the SAB 2014 Organizing Committee

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FINAL DEADLINES UPDATE - Frontiers Research Topic: Driving innovation in therapeutic brain stimulation with biophysical models
by Dr Julien Modolo May 26, 2014

May 26, 2014

Dear all, Due to the request of several researchers needing more time to finalize their manuscript, and also who missed the abstract submission deadline, we are offering a *final* deadline extension to offer a last opportunity of abstract submission and also allow more time for manuscript finalization. Therefore, our Research Topic organized with Frontiers in Neuroscience (Host Specialty: Frontiers in Computional Neuroscience) is still open, and has now an extended deadline for abstract submission and full manuscript submission. As a reminder, our Research Topic is entitled: "Driving Innovation in Therapeutic Brain Stimulation With Biophysical Models" Topic Editors: Julien Modolo, Alexandre Legros and Alex W Thomas - Lawson Health Research and Western University, London, Ontario (Canada). Abstract Submission Deadline: June 30 2014 Full Article Submission Deadline: September 1st, 2014 Research Topic Description: Electric and magnetic stimulation of the brain have become increasingly used for therapy in numerous neurological disorders over the last 20 years. The domain of therapeutic brain stimulation is complex and dynamic, since it involves many different diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy), stimulation devices and protocols (from completely non-invasive stimulation to the chronic implantation of stimulation electrodes in the brain). Despite its use by hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide, it seems paradoxical that, in most cases, the biological mechanisms by which therapeutic brain stimulation can provide symptom relief are unknown. Our limited knowledge in terms of interaction mechanisms dramatically slows down the development of novel brain stimulation techniques, which rely mainly on empiric observations. Fortunately, a paradigm change has begun, and biophysical modeling has emerged as an alternative tool not only allowing ot understand therapeutic brain stimulation, but also to foster innovation. Realistic models of neurons and neural networks are now routinely used in neuroscience research to better understand the outcome of experimental data, and also to help in experiment design. These models can simulate the activity of single cells (e.g., with the Hodgkin-Huxley model), or, at the other extreme, of the entire brain (Blue Brain project). One especially appealing use of these models is to simulate in silico how electric and magnetic fields modulate neuronal activity at different spatial and temporal scales, to ultimately have an impact on behaviour. This application of biophysical models of brain activity is currently the focus of intense research efforts, with the hope of groundbreaking clinical translations on the horizon. The objective of this Research Topic is to offer a comprehensive overview of the most recent biophysical models and their contribution in the development of innovative therapeutic brain stimulation techniques, in various neurological disorders. An emphasis should be made on the critical role of biophysical modeling in the rational and effective design of novel brain stimulation techniques, and also in providing key insights into fundamental interaction mechanisms that can be exploited to ends of therapy. About Frontiers Research Topics: Frontiers Research Topics are designed to be an organized, encyclopedic coverage of a particular research area, and a forum for discussion and debate. Contributions can be of different article types (Original Research, Methods, Hypothesis & Theory, and others). Our Research Topic has a dedicated homepage on the Frontiers website, where contributing articles are accumulated and discussions can be easily held. Once all articles are published, the topic will be compiled into an e-book, which can be sent to foundations that fund your research, to journalists and press agencies, and to any number of other organizations. As the ultimate reference source from leading scientists, Frontiers Research Topic articles become highly cited. Frontiers is a Swiss-based, open access publisher. As such an article accepted for publication incurs a publishing fee, which varies depending on the article type. The publishing fee for accepted articles is below average compared to most other open access journals - and lower than subscription-based journals that apply page and color figure charges. Moreover, for Research Topic articles, the publishing fee is discounted quite steeply thanks to the support of the Frontiers Research Foundation. Details on Frontiers’ fees can be found at http://www.frontiersin.org/about/PublishingFees. When published, your article will be freely available to visitors to the Frontiers site, and will be indexed in PubMed and other academic archives. As an author in Frontiers, you will retain the copyright to your own paper and all figures. The details regarding this Research Topic for Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience can be found at the following URL: http://www.frontiersin.org/computational_neuroscience/researchtopics/drivin… Should you choose to participate, please confirm by sending a quick email and then your abstract using the following link: http://www.frontiersin.org/submissioninfo Thanks in advance for your interest! Julien Modolo, Alexandre Legros and Alex W Thomas -- Julien Modolo, PhD Scientist, Human Threshold Research Group, Lawson Health Research Institute Assistant Professor, Departments of Medical Biophysics and Medical Imaging, Western University Room E4-141 268 Grosvenor Street London, ON, N6A4V2 Canada Phone: (+001) 519-646-6100 ext 64192 Fax: 519-646-6100

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Computer science lecturerships at Bristol University.
by Conor Houghton May 26, 2014

May 26, 2014

The department of computer science at the University of Bristol is seeking to appoint two lecturers or senior lecturers in computer science. One is an open ended post and the other is a fixed term post for 3 years in the first instance. Both posts are full time. http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AIU651/lecturers-or-senior-lecturers-in-computer-… These jobs are open across all areas of computer science; this includes computational neuroscience. Computational neuroscience is listed in the job advert as an established research interest of the department and, for example, the department is involved in the Wellcome Trust Neural Dynamics PhD program. The University as a whole has a particular strength in neuroscience, both basic and clinical, and, because of the Neural Dynamics PhD program, the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute, the Centre for Decision Making and the Bristol Center for Complexity Sciences there is a tradition of interaction between experimental and computational neuroscientists.

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