ASIM Experts Series: Thinking about the hardware of thinking: Can disruptive technologies help us achieve uploading?, by Suzanne Gildert, November 28, 2010

Suzanne Gildert gave a talk in Teleplace on November 28, 2010, at 10am PST (1pm EST, 6pm UK, 7pm CET).

Thinking about the hardware of thinking: Can disruptive technologies help us achieve uploading?

Suzanne Gildert - http://physicsandcake.wordpress.com/

Abstract: We are surrounded by devices that rely on general purpose silicon processors, which are mostly very similar in terms of their design. But is this the only possibility? As we begin to run larger and more brain-like emulations, will our current methods of simulating neural networks be enough, even in principle? Why does the brain, with 100 billion neurons, consume less than 30W of power, whilst our attempts to simulate tens of thousands of neurons (for example in the blue brain project) consumes tens of KW? As we wish to run computations faster and more efficiently, we might we need to consider if the design of the hardware that we all take for granted is optimal. In this presentation I will discuss the recent return to a focus upon co-design – that is, designing specialized software algorithms running on specialized hardware, and how this approach may help us create much more powerful applications in the future. As an example, I will discuss some possible ways of running AI algorithms on novel forms of computer hardware, such as superconducting quantum computing processors. These behave entirely differently to our current silicon chips, and help to emphasize just how important disruptive technologies may be to our attempts to build intelligent machines.

Suzanne Gildert is, of course, one of the co-founders of carboncopies. In her day-job, she works as an Experimental Physicist at D-Wave Systems, Inc. She is involved in the design and testing of large scale superconducting processors for Quantum Computing Applications. Suzanne obtained her PhD and MSci degree from The University of Birmingham UK, focusing on the areas of experimental quantum device physics and superconductivity.

This is a revised version of the talk that Suzanne Gildert was to give at TransVision2010. That talk was delayed due to technical complications. The revised version includes insipiration from Suzanne's article on “Building more intelligent machines: Can ‘co-design’ help?” (PDF).

Seating was arranged by Giulio Prisco for this Teleplace virtual conference event.Link to article with full-length videos of the event: http://telexlr8.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/suzanne-gildert-on-thinking-about-the-hardware-of-thinking-can-disruptive-technologies-help-us-achieve-uploading-teleplace-28th-november-2010/

Article announcing the talk: http://telexlr8.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/suzanne-gildert-on-thinking-about-the-hardware-of-thinking-can-disruptive-technologies-help-us-achieve-uploading-teleplace-28th-november-2010-10am-pst/

Facebook Event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172351446126517&index=1