neural networks research group
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Visual Cortex
Our goal is to understand the development and function of the visual cortex through computational modeling. The main idea is that the visual cortex is a continuously-adapting structure in a dynamic equilibrium with the external environment, and that lateral connections and synchronization of spiking activity are crucial to its behavior. This idea is expressed in the LISSOM model of the visual cortex, which is then used to gain insight into psychological and biological phenomena such as development of visual areas, visual illusions and aftereffects, perceptual grouping, and face detection. Some of the predictions are motivated and validated with experimentalists through recording and neuroimaging.
Publications
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Computational Predictions on the Receptive Fields and Organization of V2 for Shape Processing Yiu Fai Sit and Risto Miikkulainen Neural Computation, 21(3):762--785, March 2009. 2009
A Population Gain Control Model of Spatiotemporal Responses in the Visual Cortex Yiu Fai Sit PhD Thesis, Department of Computer Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 2009. Techni... 2009
Complex Dynamics of V1 Population Responses Explained by a Simple Gain-Control Model Yiu Fai Sit, Yuzhi Chen, Wilson S. Geisler, Risto Miikkulainen, and Eyal Seidemann Neuron, 64:943-956, 2009. 2009
Modeling the self-organization of color selectivity in the visual cortex Judah Ben De Paula PhD Thesis, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 2007. 2007
A Computational Model of the Signals in Optical Imaging with Voltage-Sensitive Dyes Yiu Fai Sit and Risto Miikkulainen Neurocomputing:1853-1857, 2007. 2007
Developing Complex Systems Using Evolved Pattern Generators Vinod K. Valsalam, James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation:181-198, 2007. 2007
Self-Organization of Hierarchical Visual Maps with Feedback Connections Yiu Fai Sit and Risto Miikkulainen Neurocomputing, 69:1309-1312, 2006. 2006
Joint Maps for Orientation, Eye, and Direction Preference in a Self-Organizing Model of V1 James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen Neurocomputing, 69:1272--1276, 2006. 2006
Prenatal Development of Ocular Dominance and Orientation Maps in a Self-Organizing Model of V1 Stefanie Jegelka, James A. Bednar, and Risto Miikkulainen Neurocomputing, 69:1291--1296, 2006. 2006
Establishing an Appropriate Learning Bias Through Development Vinod K. Valsalam, James A. Bednar, and Risto Miikkulainen In Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Development and Learning (ICDL-2006),... 2006
Converting RGB Images to LMS Cone Activations Judah B. De Paula Technical Report, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 2006. Technica... 2006
Constructing Visual Function Through Prenatal and Postnatal Learning James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen In Denis Mareschal and Mark H. Johnson and Sylvain Sirois and Michael Spratling and Michael S. C. Th... 2005
Self-organization of color opponent receptive fields and laterally connected orientation maps James A. Bednar, Judah B. De Paula, and Risto Miikkulainen Neurocomputing, 65--66:69-76, 2005. 2005
Constructing Good Learners Using Evolved Pattern Generators Vinod K. Valsalam, James A. Bednar, and Risto Miikkulainen In H.-G. Beyer and others, editors, Proceedings of the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Confe... 2005
Prenatal and Postnatal Development of Laterally Connected Orientation Maps James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen In Computational Neuroscience: Trends in Research, 2004, 58-60, 985-992, 2004. 2004
Modeling Cortical Maps with Topographica James A. Bednar, Yoonsuck Choe, Judah De Paula, Risto Miikkulainen, Jefferson Provost, and Tal Tvers... In Computational Neuroscience: Trends in Research, 2004, 1129-1135, 2004. 2004
Contour Integration and Segmentation with Self-Organized Lateral Connections Yoonsuck Choe and Risto Miikkulainen Biological Cybernetics 90:75-88 2004
Learning Innate Face Preferences James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen Neural Computation, 15(7):1525-1557, 2003. 2003
The Role of Internally Generated Neural Activity in Newborn and Infant Face Preferences James A. Bednar In Olivier Pascalis and Alan Slater, editors, Face Perception in Infancy and Early Childhood,... 2003
Self-Organization of Spatiotemporal Receptive Fields and Laterally Connected Direction and Orientation Maps James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen In Computational Neuroscience: Trends in Research, 2003, 52--54, 473-480, 2003. 2003
Neonatal Learning Of Faces: Environmental And Genetic Influences James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen In Proceedings of the 24th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 107-112, 2002. 2002
Modeling Large Cortical Networks With Growing Self-Organizing Maps James A. Bednar, Amol Kelkar, and Risto Miikkulainen In Computational Neuroscience, 44--46, 315-321, 2002. 2002
Learning to See: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Visual Development James A. Bednar PhD Thesis, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, May 2002. Also Techn... 2002
Modeling Directional Selectivity Using Self-Organizing Delay-Adaptation Maps Tal Tversky and Risto Miikkulainen Neurocomputing, 44--46:679--684, 2002. Also in J. M. Bower (editor), Computational Neuroscien... 2002
Perceptual Grouping In A Self-Organizing Map Of Spiking Neurons Yoonsuck Choe PhD Thesis, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 2001. 13... 2001
Scaling Self-Organizing Maps To Model Large Cortical Networks James A. Bednar, Amol Kelkar, and Risto Miikkulainen Neuroinformatics:275-302, 2001. 2001
Self-Organization Of Innate Face Preferences: Could Genetics Be Expressed Through Learning? James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen In Proceedings of the 17th National Conference on Artificial Intelligence and the 12th Annual Con... 2000
Effects Of Presynaptic And Postsynaptic Resource Redistribution In Hebbian Weight Adaptation Yoonsuck Choe, Risto Miikkulainen, and Lawrence K. Cormack Neurocomputing, 32--33:77-82, 2000. 2000
A Self-Organizing Neural Network For Contour Integration Through Synchronized Firing Yoonsuck Choe and Risto Miikkulainen Proceedings of the 17th National Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI-2000, Aust... 2000
Internally-Generated Activity, Non-Episodic Memory, and Emotional Salience in Sleep James A. Bednar In S. Harnad and E. Pace-Schott and M. Blagrove and M. Solms, editors, Sleep and Dreaming: Scient... 2000
Tilt Aftereffects In A Self-Organizing Model Of The Primary Visual Cortex James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen Neural Computation, 12:1721-1740, 2000. 2000
Modeling The Self-Organization Of Directional Selectivity In The Primary Visual Cortex Igor Farkas and Risto Miikkulainen In Erkki Oja and Samuel Kaski, editors, Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Arti... 1999
Pattern-Generator-Driven Development In Self-Organizing Models James A. Bednar and Risto Miikkulainen In Computational Neuroscience: Trends in Research, 1998, 317-323, 1998. 1998
Self-Organization And Segmentation In A Laterally Connected Orientation Map Of Spiking Neurons Yoonsuck Choe and Risto Miikkulainen Neurocomputing:139-157, 1998. 1998
Self-Organization And Segmentation With Laterally Connected Spiking Neurons Yoonsuck Choe and Risto Miikkulainen In Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI-97) 1997
Self-Organization, Plasticity, and Low-Level Visual Phenomena in a Laterally Connected Map Model of the Primary Visual Cortex Risto Miikkulainen, James A. Bednar, Yoonsuck Choe, and Joseph Sirosh In R. L. Goldstone and P. G. Schyns and D. L. Medin, editors, Perceptual Learning, Psychology... 1997
Tilt Aftereffects in a Self-Organizing Model of the Primary Visual Cortex James A. Bednar Masters Thesis, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 1997... 1997
Lateral Interactions In The Cortex: Structure And Function Joseph Sirosh, Risto Miikkulainen, and Yoonsuck Choe (editors) Electronic book, ISBN 0-9647060-0-8, http://nn.cs.utexas.edu/web-pubs/htmlbook96/. Austin, TX: The U... 1996
A Neural Network Model of Topographic Reorganization Following Cortical Lesions Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen In M. Witten, editors, Computational Medicine, Public Health and Biotechnology: Building a Man in... 1996
Laterally Interconnected Self-Organizing Maps In Hand-Written Digit Recognition Yoonsuck Choe, Joseph Sirosh, and Risto Miikkulainen In David S. Touretzky and Michael C. Mozer and Michael E. Hasselmo, editors, Advances in Neural ... 1996
Self-Organization and Functional Role of Lateral Connections and Multisize Receptive Fields in the Primary Visual Cortex Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen Neural Processing Letters, 3:39-48, 1996. 1996
Self-Organization of Orientation Maps, Lateral Connections, and Dynamic Receptive Fields in the Primary Visual Cortex Joseph Sirosh, Risto Miikkulainen and James A. Bednar In Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen and Yoonsuck Choe, editors, {P}roceedings of the {I}nter... 1996
Introduction: The Emerging Understanding of Lateral Interactions in the Cortex Risto Miikkulainen and Joseph Sirosh In Sirosh, J., Miikkulainen, R., and Choe, Y., editors, Lateral Interactions in the Cortex: Struc... 1996
Topographic Receptive Fields and Patterned Lateral Interaction in a Self-Organizing Model of the Primary Visual Cortex Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen Neural Computation, 9:577-594, 1996. 1996
Laterally Interconnected Self-Organizing Feature Map In Handwritten Digit Recognition Yoonsuck Choe Masters Thesis, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 1995... 1995
A Model Of Visually Guided Plasticity Of The Auditory Spatial Map In The Barn Owl Andrea Haessly, Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen In Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 154-158, 1995.... 1995
Modeling Cortical Plasticity Based On Adapting Lateral Interaction Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen In James M. Bower, editors, The Neurobiology of Computation: {T}he Proceedings of the Third Annu... 1995
Ocular Dominance and Patterned Lateral Connections in a Self-Organizing Model of the Primary Visual Cortex Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen In Gerald Tesauro and David S. Touretzky and Todd K. Leen, editors, Advances in Neural Informatio... 1995
A Self-Organizing Neural Network Model Of The Primary Visual Cortex Joseph Sirosh PhD Thesis, Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 1995. Te... 1995
Cooperative Self-Organization Of Afferent And Lateral Connections In Cortical Maps Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen Biological Cybernetics:66-78, 1994. 1994
Self-Organizing Feature Maps With Lateral Connections: Modeling Ocular Dominance Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen In M. C. Mozer and P. Smolensky and D. S. Touretzky and J. L. Elman and A. S. Weigend, editors, ... 1994
How Lateral Interaction Develops In A Self-Organizing Feature Map Joseph Sirosh and Risto Miikkulainen In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Neural Networks (San Francisco, CA), 1... 1993
A Neural Network For Attentional Spotlight Wee Kheng Leow and Risto Miikkulainen In Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (Singapore)(AI91-165)... 1991
Self-Organizing Process Based On Lateral Inhibition And Synaptic Resource Redistribution Risto Miikkulainen In Teuvo Kohonen and Kai M{"a}kisara and Olli Simula and Jari Kangas, editors, Proceedings of the... 1991
People
     [Expand to show all 14][Minimize]
James A. Bednar Postdoctoral Alumni jbednar [at] inf ed ac uk
Yoonsuck Choe Ph.D. Alumni choe [at] tamu edu
Judah De Paula Ph.D. Alumni
Igor Farkas Postdoctoral Alumni farkas [at] fmph uniba sk
Andrea Haessly Masters Alumni
Stefanie Jegelka Former Visitor stefje [at] eecs berkeley edu
Amol Kelkar Masters Alumni
Risto Miikkulainen Faculty risto [at] cs utexas edu
Enrique Muro Former Visitor
Jefferson Provost Ph.D. Alumni jefferson provost [at] gmail com
Eyal Seidemann Former Collaborator eyal [at] mail cps utexas edu
Joseph Sirosh Ph.D. Alumni joseph sirosh [at] gmail com
Yiu Fai Sit Ph.D. Alumni yfsit [at] cs utexas edu
Tal Tversky Ph.D. Alumni tal [at] cs utexas edu
Projects
PGLISSOM: Perceptual Grouping in a Self-Organizing Map of Spiking Neurons Since 1999
Trichromatic LISSOM 2005 - 2007
Developing Complex Systems Using Evolved Pattern Generators 2004 - 2006
Self-Organization of Directional Selectivity 1999 - 2002
Segmentation and Binding: the SLISSOM Model 1998 - 2002
Self-Organization Driven by Internally-Generated Patterns 1997 - 2002
GLISSOM: Modeling Large Cortical Maps 1999 - 2001
Tilt Aftereffects in the RF-LISSOM Model 1996 - 2000
Orientation Perception in the RF-LISSOM Model 1995 - 2000
Self-Organization in the Primary Visual Cortex: The RF-LISSOM Model 1995 - 1997
Demos
Handwritten Digit Recognition Utilizing Evolved Pattern Generators Vinod Valsalam 2007
Software/Data
LISSOM

The LISSOM package contains the C++, Python, and Scheme source code and examples for training and testing firing-rate...

2004
PGLISSOM This package is a simulator for the PGLISSOM model of perceptual grouping and self-organization in the visual cortex. Th... 2002
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