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this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2024
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So can we model this now?
Can we use this data to essentially emulate a fruit fly's behavioral patterns?
Like can we just wire this up in a software neural network, feed it some inputs, and see what happens?
They have a picture/ model / skeleton but can't simulate the data that flows through those structures yet.
Well there is no "data" per se, there's voltages and a wiring map. And this article is talking about having the complete wiring map.
The neurons deliver electrical pulses across synapses. The thickness and length of the synapse can affect the voltage or amplitude transmitted across to the next neuron. And again, if we have this fairly complete map of synapses, we may have enough information to calculate the electrical outputs of each neuron when it fires.
My understanding is that neurons work something like transistors, they receive signals and when triggered by a strong enough signal, or by enough simultaneous signals, that neuron will also fire and transmit down its synapses. With this alone you absolutely have enough structure for very complex decision making, much like a microprocessor.
I guess the question is really how accurate is this map? If we have a clear enough picture of every synaptic connection, we could simply simulate behavior in software...