Natural intelligence and artificial intelligence

bridging the gap between neurons and neuro-imaging to understand intelligent behaviour

Stan Gielen

pp. 145-161

in: Włodzisław Duch, Jacek Mańdziuk (eds), Challenges for computational intelligence, Berlin, Springer, 2007

Abstract

The brain has been a source of inspiration for artificial intelligence since long. With the advance of modern neuro-imaging techniques we have the opportunity to peek into the active brain in normal human subjects and to measure its activity. At the present, there is a large gap in knowledge linking results about neuronal architecture, activity of single neurons, neuro-imaging studies and human cognitive performance. Bridging this gap is necessary before we can understand the neuronal encoding of human cognition and consciousness and opens the possibility for Brain- Computer Interfaces (BCI). BCI applications aim to interpret neuronal activity in terms of action or intention for action and to use these signals to control external devices, for example to restore motor function after paralysis in stroke patients. Before we will be able to use neuronal activity for BCI-applications in an efficient and reliable way, advanced pattern recognition algorithms have to be developed to classify the noisy signals from the brain. The main challenge for the future will be to understand neuronal information processing to such an extent that we can interpret neuronal activity reliably in terms of cognitive activity of human subjects. This will provide insight in the cognitive abilities of humans and will help to bridge the gap between natural and artificial intelligence.