Konstantinos Michmizos wins an Intel Grant Award on Neuromorphic Computing for his single-PI proposal entitled "Spike-based Active SLAM for autonomous robots developing action habits."
Konstantinos's efforts are timely placing our Department at the center of the emerging Neuromorphic Community and introduces Rutgers as one of the 10 research universities in the world having access to Intel's unique neuromorphic chip.
Intel is introducing Loihi, the first-ever neuromorphic chip that emulates how neurons in the brain process and learn information, and the INRC, Intel Neuromorphic Research Community to shape this direction, through its first, global, request for research proposals.
The Award will allow Konstantinos and his students to grow astrocytes into spiking neural networks (SNN) and enable the home-built robots to develop "action habits", just like humans.
The Grant aligns with ComBra Lab's ongoing efforts to shake the "neurocomputing" dogma, where "brain = neurons", and introduce algorithms employing an abundant yet long-neglected brain cell, astrocytes, with unique computational capabilities.
The $130,000 (direct cost) Award will provide a 2-year support for a PhD student at ComBra Lab, Guangzhi Tang, who completed his MSc. Thesis at ComBra in Spring 2017 and is now continuing his research on NeuRobots as a PhD student in the Lab.
