Sim Bamford

Simeon Bamford

I'm a researcher with the Complex Systems Modelling group at Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome.

Projects (past and present):

Choreographing neural networks - developing bistable attractor hardware (2011-present)
Closed-loop brain prosthesis - field-programmable mixed-signal array chip (2009-2011)
Neuromorphic synaptic rewiring for topographic map development - including work on STDP (2006-2009)
Planar patch clamp (2005)

I find both the study of neural systems and the discipline of engineering them fascinating. I see enormous scope for neuroprosthetic and biomedical applications with the potential to improve health provision and better the human condition. I work as a neuromorphic engineer, creating electronic circuits which in some way mimic computation in animals' nervous systems. This is partly to help understand how brains work and partly to search for better ways of doing the kind of computing that nervous systems are good at, for example, sensing the environment and working out how to move around in it. The circuits are integrated on microchips, so they're manufactured in the same way as the processors in personal computers, but the design is very different, often using flows of electrical current to imitate the currents which flow through the nerve cells in our brains.

Academic CV

Peer-reviewed journal articles

"A VLSI field-programmable mixed-signal array to perform neural signal processing and neural modelling in a prosthetic system", Bamford SA, Hogri R, Giovannucci A, Taub AH, Herreros I, Verschure PFMJ, Mintz M, Del Giudice P. IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, 2012, in press. pdf
"Spike-timing-dependent plasticity with weight dependence evoked from physical constraints", Bamford SA, Murray AF, Willshaw DJ. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, 2012, in press. pdf
"Silicon synapses self-correct for both mismatch and design inhomogeneities", Bamford SA, Murray AF, Willshaw DJ. Electronics Letters, 2012, vol. 48, no. 7, pp. 360-361. pdf

The above article was the subject of an editorial for that issue: pdf

"Large Developing Receptive Fields Using a Distributed and Locally Reprogrammable Address-Event Receiver", Bamford SA, Murray AF, Willshaw DJ. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks, 2010, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 286-304. pdf
"Synaptic Rewiring for Topographic Map Formation and Receptive Field Development", Bamford SA, Murray AF, Willshaw DJ. Neural Networks, 2010, vol. 23 pp. 517-527. pdf

The following paper departs from my neural engineering specialisation and concerns philosophy:

"A framework for approaches to transfer of a mind's substrate", Bamford S. International Journal of Machine Consciousness, 2012, in press. pdf

Peer-reviewed conference papers

"Behavioral Rehabilitation of the Eye Closure Reflex in Senescent Rats using a Real-Time Biosignal Acquisition System", Prückl R, Taub AH, Hogri R, Magal A, Herreros I, Bamford SA, Ofek Almog R, Shacham Y, Verschure PFMJ, Mintz M, Scharinger J, Silmon A, Guger C, International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2011, pp. 4211-4214. pdf
"The Application of a Real-Time Rapid-Prototyping Environment for the Behavioral Rehabilitation of a Lost Brain Function in Rats", Prückl R, Grünbacher E, Ortner R, Taub AH, Hogri R, Magal A, Segalis E, Zreik M, Nossenson N, Herreros I, Giovannucci A, Ofek Almog R, Bamford S, Marcus-Kalish M, Shacham Y, Verschure PFMJ, Messer H, Mintz M, Scharinger J, Silmon A, Guger C, IEEE Symposium Series in Computational Intelligence, Cognitive Algorithms, Mind, and Brain (CCMB), 2011, pp. 1-8. pdf
"Intimate mixing of analogue and digital signals in a field-programmable mixed-signal array with lopsided logic", Bamford SA, Giulioni M, IEEE Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference (BIOCAS), 2010, pp. 234-237. pdf
"Large Developing Axonal Arbors Using a Distributed and Locally-Reprogrammable Address-Event Receiver", Bamford SA, Murray AF, Willshaw DJ. IEEE International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN), 2008, pp. 1464-1471. pdf
"Synaptic Rewiring for Topographic Map Formation", Bamford SA, Murray AF, Willshaw DJ. International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN), 2008, pp. 218-227. pdf

Theses and related publications

"Synaptic Rewiring in Neuromorphic VLSI for Topographic Map Formation", PhD Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2009. pdf
MSc project (2005): Testing silicon planar patch-clamp devices. Poster; Dissertation.

Conference abstracts - not peer reviewed

"A VLSI Chip to Implement a Neuroprosthesis for Substitution of a Cerebellar Learning Function", Bamford SA, Hogri R, Magal A, Taub AH, Giovannucci A, Herreros I, Del Giudice P, Mintz M, Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Meeting, 2012. Abstract
"Closed-loop interface with the olivocerebellar system", Hogri R, Magal A, Konforty D, Segalis E, Bamford SA, Prueckl R, Guger C, Mintz M, Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Meeting, 2012. Abstract
"Replacing a cerebellar microcircuit with an autonomous neuroprosthetic device", Giovannucci A, Bamford SA, Herreros I, Hogri R, Taub A, Zucca R, Prueckl R, Mintz M, Silmon A, Guger C, Del Giudice P, Verschure PFMJ, Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Meeting, 2010. Abstract
"A real-time analysis and control system for the reconstitution of cerebellar functionality", Prueckl R, Taub A, Hogri R, Giovannucci A, Herreros I, Bamford SA, Zreik M, Nossenson N, Guger C, Mintz M, Verschure PFMJ, Messer-Yaron H, Silmon A, Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Meeting, 2010. Abstract
"Replacing a cerebellar microcircuit with an autonomous neuroprosthetic device", Giovannucci A, Bamford S, Hogri R, Taub A, Prueckl R, Guger C, Del Giudice P & Verschure PF, Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum, 2010. Abstract

Talks

"Modern Classical Conditioning: towards a CMOS chip for bi-directional in-vivo brain interface for rehabilitation of a learnt eye-blink response.", Istituto di Biorobotica, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa. 17th May 2011. Abstract
"Modern Classical Conditioning: towards a CMOS chip for bi-directional in-vivo brain interface for rehabilitation of a learnt eye-blink response.", University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome. 15th May 2011. Abstract
"Modern Classical Conditioning: towards a VLSI chip for bi-directional in-vivo brain interface for rehabilitation of a learnt eye-blink response.", Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College. 19th Feb 2010. Abstract
"Synaptic Rewiring in Neuromorphic VLSI for Topographic Map Formation", Electronic and Computer Engineering Dept., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. 10th Jun 2008. Abstract
"Synaptic Rewiring in Neuromorphic VLSI for Topographic Map Formation", Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Dept., Italian Institute of Technology. 9th Apr 2008. Abstract

Papers to which I made an acknowledged contribution

"Robust working memory in an asynchronously spiking neural network realized with neuromorphic VLSI" Giulioni M, Camilleri P, Mattia M, Dante V, Braun J, Del Giudice P, Frontiers in Neuromorphic Engineering, 2012, in press. pdf