Nonconvergent Neural Memories for Robust Encoding of Noisy Sensory Data
Dr. Robert Kozma, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN USA

Overview: Conventional digital computers store information encoded in strings of binary digits. We propose an alternative approach of pattern-based computing, in which information is stored in the form of spatial patterns of amplitude modulation of an aperiodic oscillatory carrier wave. This method is based on the observation of Freeman and colleagues, that sensory information processing in the central nervous system is realized via collective oscillations of sparsely but globally interacting neuronal populations. Our approach includes as special cases other models, including deterministic cellular automata, such as Conway's Game of Life, Chua’s cellular neural networks, as well as thermodynamic models like the Ising model and Hopfield’s neural network arrays. We demonstrate the feasibility of spatial pattern encoding on a number of difficult classification problems. We describe how phase transitions can be generated in a noisy system and how phase transition become helpful in generating a robust memory. Issues related to hardware implementation of these principles in chip designs are also addressed.

Biography: ROBERT KOZMA is presently Professor of Computer Science at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Memphis, TN, which he joined in 2000. He has held joint/faculty appointments with UC Berkeley; the University of Otago, New Zealand; Tohoku University, Japan; Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. He has earned his PhD at TU Delft (1992). Dr Kozma has over 20-years of expertise in the interdisciplinary research that encompasses neuroscience and cognitive science, computer science, artificial intelligence, computational physics and applied mathematics. He has published 3 books, about 50 articles in international journals and books, and over 60 papers in peer-reviewed conference proceedings. He is a Senior Member of IEEE, member of the Neural Network Technical Committee of the IEEE Neural Network Society, chair of the Neurodynamics Special Interest Group of the International Neural Network Society. He has been on the Program Committee of about 20 international conferences in the field of intelligent computation and soft computing. He is Program Co-Chair of IJCNN’04, July 2004, Budapest.