ICT FET Bambi (FET Open FP7-ICT-2013-C)

Participants: Emmanuel Mazer, Marvin Faix

Partners: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Probayes, Université de Liege, Instituto de Sistemas e Robotica (Portugal),CNRS (LIG,ISIR,IEF,UMIPhi)

Dates January 2014 to December 2016

FET Open BAMBI explores a theory and a hardware implementation of probabilistic computation inspired by biochemical cell signalling. The project studies probabilistic computation following three axes: algebra, biology, and hardware. In each case, we will develop a bottom-up hierarchical approach starting from the elementary components, and study how to combine them to build more complex systems. It proposes a Bayesian Gate operating on probability distributions on binary variables as the building blocks of our probabilistic algebra. These Bayesian gates can be seen as a generalization of logical operators in Boolean algebra. The consortium interprets elementary cell signalling pathways as biological implementation of these probabilistic gates. In turn, the key features of biochemical processes give new insights for new probabilistic hardware implementation. They associate conventional electronics and novel stochastic nano-devices to build the required hardware elements. Combining these will lead to new artificial information processing systems, which could, in the future, outperform classical computers in tasks involving a direct interaction with the physical world. For this purpose, this project associates research in Bayesian probability theory, molecular biology, nanophysics, computer science and electronics.