SpiNNaker Home Page

SpiNNaker is a novel computer architecture inspired by the working of the human brain.

A SpiNNaker machine is a massively parallel computing platform, targeted towards three main areas of research:

Neuroscience: Understanding how the brain works is a Grand Challenge of 21^st century science. We will provide the platform to help neuroscientists to unravel the mystery that is the mind. The largest SpiNNaker machine will be capable of simulating a billion simple neurons, or millions of neurons with complex structure and internal dynamics.

Robotics: SpiNNaker is a good target for researchers in robotics, who need mobile, low power computation. A small SpiNNaker board makes it possible to simulate a network of tens of thousands of spiking neurons, process sensory input and generate motor output, all in real time and in a low power system.

Computer Science: SpiNNaker breaks the rules followed by traditional supercomputers that rely on deterministic, repeatable communications and reliable computation. SpiNNaker nodes communicate using simple messages (spikes) that are inherently unreliable. This break with determinism offers new challenges, but also the potential to discover powerful new principles of massively parallel computation.

Videos

• A video introducing SpiNNaker
• Architectural overview
• Wiring the half-size machine
• A playlist of videos on how to use SpiNNaker
• Workshop presentation on SpiNNaker interfacing

Where to go to find out more:

• Buy (or download) the book
• Learn more about the SpiNNaker Project
• For more detail on the philosophy of the SpiNNaker Architecture
• The heart of the machine is the SpiNNaker chip
• Information on development boards and our plans to build SpiNNaker Machines
• The System Software running on the machine.

For developers:

• To access tools and software to run on SpiNNaker systems, see our Downloads page
• Our Support page provides white papers, documents and FAQs.
• The Publications page gives details of papers describing SpiNNaker in detail

Contact Us:

SpiNNaker boards are no longer available for sale. For further information on the SpiNNaker project contact us at:

simon.davidson@manchester.ac.uk

Our mail address is:

APT Group,
School of Computer Science,
University of Manchester
Oxford Road,
Manchester
M13 9PL

---

                           

---