back to article Boffins urge European Commission to reboot electric brain project

More than four hundred scientists have signed an open letter asking the European Commission to rethink the Human Brain Project (HBP), a €1.19b attempt to build a computer capable of simulating the human brain. The HBP has been pitched as beneficial for neuroscience and computer science. The former discipline gets a whole new …

  1. Martin Budden Silver badge

    Nowhere in the list of demands do they mention that members of the panel must include either Sarah or John Connor.

    1. Mark 85
      Coat

      Nor does it mention building a brain mimicking A.B. Normal.

  2. Robert E A Harvey
    Pint

    Beer or wine?

    I'm worried there will be no agreement over the pseudo-intoxicant to be invented for it.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Science gravy train

    Where do I apply for free money to work on interesting IT with a low probability of success and no requirement to produce meaningful output all day.

    At least the billions we spent on CERN gave us html and the mass particle. This just looks like a black hole vanity project.

    1. Graham Marsden
      Thumb Down

      Re: Science gravy train

      I said it to Wilbur and I said it to Orville, that thing will never work...

      1. Schultz

        ...that thing will never work...

        I am sure that the scientists involved will claim that it works like a charm! Too bad for you if you can't emphasize properly with the disembodied mouse brain. More money, please!

  4. TwistUrCapBack

    The birth of

    Webmind

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    probably help for disabled eventually

    something to implant in refugee yanks so they can function in a civilised society when they flee their own mess in years to come.

  6. TRT Silver badge

    An electronic brain?

    All you'd have to do is program it to say "What?" and "Where's the tea?"...

    1. Graham Marsden
      Thumb Up

      Re: An electronic brain?

      I'm sure the end result will be something we can all Share and Enjoy!

      1. Richard Taylor 2

        Re: An electronic brain?

        But come the revolution CCC [] Wall

  7. Rich 11

    Where's the cheese?

    They do say they want to try to model a mouse brain in this first stage; a human brain comes later. Much later, I'd say.

    1. Grikath

      Re: Where's the cheese?

      Not that much later as you'd think.... There's very little difference between a mouse brain and a human brain. The differences are mostly a matter of size/capacity of specific areas.

  8. Chris G

    Discount

    For only €500.000.000 and an initial 30 minutes with the right lab assistant, I can almost guarantee a 9 month delivery date for a functioning brain to human standards, the basic OS will be installed, it will just need programming for finer functions.

    1. Martin Budden Silver badge

      Re: Discount

      The BIOS is messy as hell for the first couple of years...

  9. The last doughnut
    Meh

    The El Reg neuroscience desk

    Not only is the post vacant but the comments section glistening green brain icon is still missing.

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