External Funding (Completed projects)
KickStart
Formal title: A neural microcircuit in silico: biologically realistic neuromorphic engineering at SheffieldFunding details: EPSRC Delivery Plan ‘Kickstart’ funding
ABRG Investigators: Kevin Gurney
Summary: This project aims to create a synergy between two research strengths in the University – computational neuroscience in Psychology and neuromorphic engineering in Automatic Control and Systems Engineering (ACSE).
Dual Process Control Models in the Brain and Machines with Application to Autonomous Vehicle Control
Project website: http://www.cs.stir.ac.uk/cogcobras/index.htmFunding details: EPSRC project grant EP/I009310/1
ABRG Investigators: Kevin Gurney
Summary: General objective is to develop and validate next-generation intelligent modular control technology for autonomous vehicles by exploiting similarities between system architectures in control engineering and the animal brain
IM-CLeVeR: Intrinsically Motivated Cumulative Learning Versatile Robots
Project website: http://www.im-clever.euFunding details: European Union Framework 7 ICT project FP7-ICT-IP-231722
ABRG Investigators: Peter Redgrave (Sheffield Lead), Kevin Gurney (Modelling), Tom Stafford (Experimental)
ABRG Researchers: Martin Thirkettle, Ashvin Shah, Jen Lewis
Summary: Collaboration between 9 laboratories to develop a new methodology for designing robots controllers that can: (1) cumulatively learn new efficient skills through autonomous development based on intrinsic motivations, and (2) reuse such skills for accomplishing multiple, complex, and externally-assigned tasks
BIOTACT: BIOmimetic Technology for vibrissal ACtive Touch.
Project website: /projects/biotactFunding details: European Union Framework 7 ICT project 215910.
ABRG Investigators: Tony Prescott (project co-ordinator and Sheffield P.I.), Paul Dean, John Porrill, Jim Stone, Kevin Gurney.
ABRG Researchers: Ben Mitchinson, Charles Fox, Robyn Grant (Project Manager).
Summary: Collaboration between 9 laboratories in 6 countries to develop artificial tactile sensors models on the vibrissae of whiskered animals such as rats and shrews. Research at the ABRG is focused on computational modelling of brain systems involved in active touch sensing, and ethological studies of rat whisking behaviour.
CARMEN
Project website: http://www.carmen.org.ukFormal title: Code Analysis, Repository and Modelling for e-Neuroscience
Funding details: EPSRC e-science grant
ABRG Investigators: Kevin Gurney & Paul Overton
ABRG Researchers: Nathan Lepora
Summary: The objective of the project is to create an e-science infrastructure in which data on neuronal activity (electrical and optical measures) can be shared, stored, manipulated and modelled. The project currently involves a consortium of 19 academic investigators from 11 universities as well as commercial partners, but will expand to include new partners over the coming years. CARMEN is a 4 year project, involving 11 Universities, and with 19 Investigators, starting on 1 October 2006. The Sheffield component comprises the development of a deterministic parameter optimisation tool used in building conductance-based neuronal models.
REVERB: Reverse Engineering the VERtebrate Brain.
Project website: http://mushika.shef.ac.uk/reverbFormal title: Integrative computation for autonomous agents: a novel approach based on the vertebrate brain.
Funding details: EPSRC Research Grant no. EP/C516303/1, April 2005-April 2010.
ABRG Investigators: Kevin Gurney (Grant P.I.), Tony Prescott, Peter Redgrave, Paul Overton.
ABRG Researchers: Jon Chambers, Ric Wood.
Summary: Collaboration across 6 UK universities and one industrial partner to develop, implement, and evaluate novel biologically inspired methods of systems integration for the flexible and adaptable control of behaviour. Research at the ABRG is focused on computational modelling of the primate orienting system and on the role of the basal ganglia in action selection and reinforcement learning.
Official summary
ICEA: Integrating Cognition Emotion and Autonomy.
Project website: http://www.iceaproject.euFunding details: European Union Framework 6 Project no. IST-027819-IP, January 2006-December 2009.
ABRG Investigators: Tony Prescott (Sheffield P.I.), Kevin Gurney, Peter Redgrave.
ABRG Researchers: Mark Humphries, Ben Mitchinson, Charles Fox, Tak-Shing Chan.
Summary: Project across 6 EU countries including 8 research groups and 3 industrial partners to develop a cognitive systems architecture integrating cognitive, emotional and bioregulatory (self-maintenance) processes, based on the architecture and physiology of the mammalian brain. Research at the ABRG is focused on computational modelling of brain substrates for spatial cognition, and tactile sensing.
Whiskerbot: A robot whisker system modelled on the rat mystacial vibrissae.
Project website: /projects/whiskerbotFunding details: EPSRC Research Grant no. GR/S19639/01, September 2003-August 2006.
ABRG Investigators: Tony Prescott (Sheffield P.I.), Kevin Gurney, Peter Redgrave.
ABRG Researchers: Ben Mitchinson.
Summary: Project in collaboration with Bristol Robotics Laboratory concerned with computational, behavioural, and robotic studies of tactile sensing in the rat whisker system.
Official summary
ROCOCO: Robot control using a model of the central structures in the vertebrate brain.
Funding details: EPSRC Research Grant no. GR/R95722/01. September 2002-August 2005.ABRG Investigators: Tony Prescott (Grant P.I.), Kevin Gurney, Peter Redgrave.
ABRG Researchers: Mark Humphries.
Summary: Computational and robotic modelling of the "integrative core" of the vertebrate brain, including the basal ganglia and the brainstem reticular formation.
Official summary
Final report