SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAME

THEME [ICT-2007.8.0]

BION: Synthetic pathways to bio-

inspired information processing
Victor Erokhin
Department of Physics
University of Parma
Italy

SCOW • FP7 I CT
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21-23/10/2008 M
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 Agenda / content

> Objectives

> Consortium

> Starting point

> Elements and networks

> Working plan

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 BION: Objectives
> The main objective of the project is the realization of a new,
highly innovative technology for the production of functional
molecular assemblies, which can perform advanced tasks
of information processing involving learning and decision
making, and which can be tailored down to the nanoscale.

> Project milestones

• Fabrication and study of the nodes of the matrix, individually
and in simple forms of the matrix; first application to a
biological system.
• Fabrication of the complex matrix: Alternative pathways
• Transfer of data from biological systems and application of
Artificial Intelligence techniques

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 BION: Consortium
> 4 partners from 3 countries

• Coordinator: University of Parma (Italy): Realization of elements and

networks

• University of Pisa (Italy): Synthesis of polymers, nanoparticles and

composite materials

• University of Warwick (UK): Modeling of functioning of nervous

systems, learning algorithms

• Max-Planck-Gesellschaft z. Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V.

(Germany): Brain anatomy, signal databases
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 BION: Starting point
> Hebbian rule: “When an axon of cell A is near enough to excite cell B and
repeatedly or persistently takes part in firing it, some growth process or
metabolic change takes place in one or both cells such that A's efficiency, as
one of the cells firing B, is increased”

• Integration of processing and memory properties for the network elements

• Learning procedure of the developed network must be based on combined learning
paradigm (supervised and unsupervised learning)
• Very high level of parallel processing

Key element of the network must have

memristor-like characteristics

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 BION: Elements and networks
IG

S G
PEO D
PANI

ID

400 1000

800
current (nA)

200
current (nA)

600
0 400
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 700 0
200
-200 600
-50 0 500 1000 1500 2000

current (nA)

current (nA)
0 500
-400 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 400 -100
300
voltage (V) voltage (V) -150
200
100 -200
0
-250

Gate
0 1000 2000 3000 4000

Differential time (s) time (s)

+ -
V. Erokhin, T. Berzina, and M.P. Fontana, J. Appl. Phys., 97, 064501 (2005).

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 BION: Elements and networks
> IMITATING THE SNAIL LEARNING PROCESS

Main input (MI) corresponds to

the “touch”action
Teaching input (TI) corresponds A.Smerieri, T.Berzina,V.Erokhin, and
to the “taste” action M.P. Fontana, Mater. Sci. Engineer. C,
28, 18-22 (2008).

> MODEL ADAPTIVE NETWORK

Out 1 (nA) Out 2 (nA)
Before training
120 32
After training
65 124

V. Erokhin, T. Berzina, and M.P. Fontana, Cryst. Rep., 52, 159-166 (2007)

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 BION: Elements and networks
> Out-of-equilibrium behavior
• External capacitor
7.0E-08

Current (A)
6.0E-08

5.0E-08
0.0E+00 2.0E+03 4.0E+03 6.0E+03 8.0E+03
Time (s)

V. Erokhin, T. Berzina, P. Camorani, and M.P. Fontana, J. Phys. Condens. Matt., 19, 205111 (2007) .

• Graphite electrode
3.30E-07
a
Current (A)

3.10E-07

2.90E-07

2.70E-07
0.00E+00 1.00E+03 2.00E+03 3.00E+03
Time (s)

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 BION: Elements and networks
> PEO –PANI fibrillar networks after vacuum treatment

800

600
Current (nA)

increase
400
decrease V. Erokhin, T. Berzina, P. Camorani, and M.P. Fontana,
200
Soft Matter, 2, 870-874 (2006).

0
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1
Voltage (V)

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 BION: Working Plan
> Organization of the work

• WP 1. Fabrication and optimization of electrochemically controlled

simple networks

• WP 2. Training of the network, and first application to a biological

system

• WP 3. Fabrication of the complex statistical matrix and tailoring

using as models specific biological systems

• WP 4. Discrimination and learning in the biologically inspired

supramolecular device

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 BION: WP1
> Fabrication and optimization of electrochemically controlled
simple networks
• Variation of materials properties (doping agents, solid electrolyte
composition, device configuration) and fabrication techniques (LB,
polyelectrolyte self-assembling, spin coating, solution casting).
• Mimicking bio-objects working in pulse mode.
Sequential application of treining and testing
procedures
A. Smerieri, T. Berzina, V. Erokhin, and M.P. Fontana, J. Appl. Phys., accepted.

• Fabrication and study of statistical networks

Between 2 Between 2
and 3 (nA) and 4 (nA)
Before training
20 20
After training
200 20
Training 30 min: 2-3: +1V; 2-4: -0.2 V
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 BION: WP2
> Training of the network, and first application to a biological
system

Sample output of the CPG

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 BION: WP3
> Fabrication of the complex statistical matrix and bio-
inspired tailoring
N
N
NH
N
NH2 N
S S
S S NH2

S S
H2N S
H2N
Au
S Au
S
S
S S
S S NH2
N
N
NH
NH2 N
N

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 BION: WP4
> Discrimination and learning in the biologically inspired
supramolecular device
• Development of a new, bottom-up technology for the fabrication of
sophisticated functional supramolecular structures which can be
miniaturised in principle down to the nanoscale, which are capable
of decision making and complex signal analysis.
• Fabrication of a synthetic system which by mimic biological sensory
and cognitive systems can be used as a new, revolutionary
instrument for neuroscience.

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 Thank you

Dr. Victor Erokhin

Department of Physics University of Parma
Viale Usberti 7A, Parma 43100 Italy
Tel. +39 0521 905239
Fax +39 0521 905223
E-mail victor.erokhin@fis.unipr.it

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