Episode 38 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Jeff Hawkins, author of On Intelligence. Hawkins is well-known for founding Palm Computing and Handspring. He invented the Grafitti handwriting recognition system and helped develop the Palm Trio SmartPhone. Since he published his bestseller On Intelligence, he has devoted his work to his passion for neuroscience. His current company Numenta is developing software that models the hierarchal structure of the neocortex. In this interview we talk about the ideas in Hawkins book and how he is applying them to develop a computer model of cortical function. This is a follow-up to Episode 2, which first aired in December of 2006.

Listen to Dr. Campbell interview Jeff Hawkins.

Links and References:

Jeff Hawkins: wikipedia entry

• On Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins with Sandra Blakesle


• http://www.onintelligence.org


• Dileep George: co-founder of Numenta and principal architect of the first prototype implementing the hierarchical temporal memory system (HTM) patterned after the human neocortex.

Vernon Montcastle: pioneer who proposed that all parts of the brain's cortex work the same way.

• Vernon Mountcastle (1978), "An Organizing Principle for Cerebral Function: The Unit Model and the Distributed System", The Mindful Brain (Gerald M. Edelman and Vernon B. Mountcastle, eds.) Cambridge, MA: MIT Press (Please let me know if you find this paper on-line!)


• Perceptual Neuroscience: The Cerebral Cortex by Vernon B. Mountcastle. This 1998 is recommended by Jeff Hawkins, especially for those interested in the technical details of cortical function.

Redwood Institute for Theoretical Neuroscience (UC-Berkeley) founded by Jeff Hawkins

Numenta: company website includes extensive educational information about hierarchical temporal memory system (HTM). The company's focus is practical implementation of HTM Theory.

Listen to Episode 38

Share your comments on the Discussion Forum

Subscribe via iTunes™

Subscribe in a reader or podcatcher


Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

Donations and Subscriptions are appreciated