Brains and Machines
Dr Sunny Bains
Curious to explore the technology advancing Artificial Intelligence beyond the usual headlines? Brains and Machines will introduce you to the people and ideas behind neuromorphic engineering, bio-inspired robotics, and other transformative technologies shaping AI’s future. From spiking neural networks and event-cameras to models of attention and mechanisms for prosthetic control, we investigate how machine cognition is moving forward.Join Dr Sunny Bains, a scientist, journalist, and lecturer at University College London, as she talks to researchers, engineers, and computer scientists from across the field. With co-host, Dr Giulia D’Angelo from the Czech Technical University in Prague, and commentator Prof Ralph Etienne-Cummings from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the post-interview discussion provides context and insight into the featured innovations.Produced in conjunction with Electronic Engineering Times. Check out the EETimes Current podcast for more.Dr D’Angelo gratefully acknowledges the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 4, 2025 • 48min
Robots Need Physical, Not Just Artificial, Intelligence
Rodney Brooks, an Emeritus Professor at MIT and CTO of Robust AI, discusses the evolution of robotics and AI. He emphasizes the shift from traditional AI to innovative biologically-inspired designs. The conversation highlights the importance of physical intelligence in robots and reviews the challenges they face in learning tasks. Brooks critiques the current limitations of artificial systems compared to human capabilities, advocating for the integration of physical interactions in developing more advanced and human-like robots.
Jan 5, 2025 • 47min
Embracing the Efficiency of the Neuromorphic Hairball
Katie Schuman, a Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, shares her insights on neuromorphic computing and evolutionary approaches in neural processing. She discusses her journey from computer science to this groundbreaking field, emphasizing the integration of spiking neural networks and evolutionary algorithms. The conversation highlights advancements in neuromorphic systems, including their efficiency and the challenges of training them. Schuman also touches on the role of community, open-source frameworks, and the future potentials of robotic applications.
Dec 13, 2024 • 48min
Chip Combines Analog and Digital Neurons for Sensor Data
Sumeet Kumar, Founder and CEO of Innatera, shares insights into their innovative spiking neural network chip tailored for sensor applications. Petrut Bogdan, Neuromorphic Architect, discusses the intricate design choices and challenges faced in creating this versatile chip. They explore the importance of energy efficiency, the integration of analog and digital neurons, and the potential for low-power applications in healthcare. Their conversation touches on the future of accessible neuromorphic engineering and the role of these technologies in enhancing smart devices.
Nov 8, 2024 • 1h 5min
Carver Mead Says Neuromorphic Efficiency Can Help AI
In this episode of Brains and Machines, UCL’s Sunny Bains talks parallelism, neural net efficiency and risk taking with Caltech’s Prof. Carver Mead. Now an emeritus professor, Mead has been instrumental in the development of chip design, and was one of the first employees of Noyce and Moore, which later became Intel. He’s also one of the founders of the field of neuromorphic engineering. Discussion follows with Dr. Giulia D’Angelo Marie Curie Fellow at The Czech Technical University in Prague, and Professor Ralph Etienne-Cummings of Johns Hopkins University.
May 31, 2024 • 52min
Next-Gen Neuromorphic Researchers Look to Future
In this special episode of the Brains and Machines podcast, Dr. Sunny Bains and Dr. Giulia D’Angelo talk to four early career researchers: Dr. Kenneth Stewart, a computer scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC; Dr. Laura Kriener, a postdoctoral researcher at The University of Bern in Switzerland; Jens Pedersen, a Ph.D. student at The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden; and Dr. Fabrizio Ottati, an AI/ML computer architect at NXP Semiconductors in Hamburg, Germany. They discuss learning rules for spiking neural networks, primitives for computations on neuromorphic hardware, and the benefits and drawbacks of neuromorphic engineering.
May 17, 2024 • 45min
SynSense Research Head Talks Combined Sensing, Processing
In this episode of Brains and Machines, Dr. Sunny Bains talks to Dr. Dylan Muir, the head of research at SynSense. They discuss the company’s products, including Speck, Xylo, and Rockpool, some of the design choices that were made to bring these to market, and their recent acquisition of sister company IniVation. Discussion follows with Dr. Giulia D’Angelo from the Czech Technical University in Prague, and Professor Ralph Etienne-Cummings of Johns Hopkins University.
May 3, 2024 • 42min
Half-Human–Scale SpiNNaker 2 Machine on Cloud in 2024
In this episode of Brains and Machines, Dr. Sunny Bains talks with Professor Christian Mayr from the Technical University of Dresden, who worked on SpiNNaker with Steve Furber for many years. He is taking that project into the future with SpiNNaker 2, which is mostly built, SpiNNaker 3, which is his next design project, and the startup SpiNNcloud. Discussion follows with Dr. Giulia D’Angelo Marie Curie Fellow at The Czech Technical University in Prague, and Professor Ralph Etienne-Cummings of Johns Hopkins University.
Apr 19, 2024 • 44min
Bio-Inspired Networks to Interface With Nervous System
Discover the cutting-edge advancements in neuromorphic engineering as experts delve into the creation of circuits that emulate biological neurons. Learn about integrating these technologies in prosthetics for enhanced sensory feedback and data transmission. The discussion also touches on ethical dilemmas of pain perception in robotic systems and the challenges of connecting bio-inspired networks to the human nervous system. From non-invasive stimulation techniques to groundbreaking biorebotics, the blend of biology and technology takes center stage.
Apr 5, 2024 • 52min
Choosing the Right Technologies for Hybrid AI Chips
Amirreza Yousefzadeh, a neuromorphic hardware architect with a rich background in designing scalable hybrid AI systems on a chip, discusses the advancements in neuromorphic technology. He shares insights on balancing research and commercialization, particularly with the development of the Seneca chip. The conversation delves into the integration of neuromorphic systems in automotive applications, the need for better market demonstrations, and challenges in traditional machine vision. Plus, there's a spotlight on the role of power efficiency in driving innovation.
Mar 15, 2024 • 45min
Why Sound Processing Takes Time, Not Just Frequency
In this episode of Brains and Machines, Professor Shih-Chii Liu, co-director of the Sensors Group at the Institute of Neuroinformatics (INI)—part of both the ETH and the University of Zurich, Switzerland—talks to Brains and Machines host, Dr. Sunny Bains, about neuromorphic cochlea, sparsity and deep networks, and what it will take for the technology to solve real problems in industry. Discussion follows with Dr. Giulia D’Angelo from the Czech Technical University in Prague, and Professor Ralph Etienne-Cummings of Johns Hopkins University.
