title: Neurotech for neuroscience: unifying concepts, organizing principles, and emerging tools.
abstract: The ability to tackle analysis of the brain at multiple levels simultaneously is emerging from rapid methodological developments. The classical research strategies of "measure," "model," and "make" are being applied to the exploration of nervous system function. These include novel conceptual and theoretical approaches, creative use of mathematical modeling, and attempts to build brain-like devices and systems, as well as other developments including instrumentation and statistical modeling (not covered here). Increasingly, these efforts require teams of scientists from a variety of traditional scientific disciplines to work together. The potential of such efforts for understanding directed motor movement, emergence of cognitive function from neuronal activity, and development of neuromimetic computers are described by a team that includes individuals experienced in behavior and neuroscience, mathematics, and engineering. Funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation, explore the potential of these changing frontiers of research for developing research policies and long-term planning.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA. qr@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Rae
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: Kwabena
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boahen
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grillner
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kopell
authors.forename: Kathie L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001527:Behaviorism; D024803:Biomedical Enhancement; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D019295:Computational Biology; D006801:Humans; D008606:Mental Processes; D008954:Models, Biological; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*