Event Abstract

Back to Event

Simulation Platform: Quick and easy access environment of model simulation in computational neuroscience

Hidetoshi Ikeno1*, Tadashi Yamaaki2, Yoshihiro Okumura2, Shunji Satoh3, Yoshimi Kamiyama4, Yutaka Hirata5, Keiichiro Inagaki2, Akito Ishihara6, Takayuki Kannon2 and Shiro Usui2
  • 1 University of Hyogo, Japan
  • 2 RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Japan
  • 3 University of Electro-Communications, Japan
  • 4 Aichi Prefectural University, Japan
  • 5 Chubu University, Japan
  • 6 Chukyo University, Japan

For various levels of study in neural modeling, it is effective to utilize multiple neural models described at different scales seamlessly. The Internet and database technology provide us a compelling environment for computational neuroscience, specifically for downloading and using neural models. However, conventional neuroinformatics databases used to be designed for archiving model program files. To reuse such models, users often face problems when installing the required simulators and tools, and in some cases, execution is not successful. Therefore, we have been developing a simulation environment named “Simulation Platform” that allows trial of such existing resources [1,2,3].
    The Simulation Platform provides a cloud of virtual machines running GNU/Linux for scientists to use and validate the models without downloading and installing them. Each virtual machine is equipped with various software including developer tools such as compilers and libraries, popular neural simulators such as GENESIS, NEURON, and NEST, and scientific software such as Gnuplot, R, and Octave.
    We developed and opened a pre-release site of the Simulation Platform (http://sim.neuroinf.jp/) (Figure 1). When a user posts a request on the platform, a virtual machine is assigned and the requested simulation is executed automatically. The user remotely accesses to the machine through a web browser. If you have a tablet or a smartphone with web browser capability, such as iPad and iPhone, you can get a test bed on your hand. Therefore, the Simulation Platform is expected to eliminate impediments to handle and share multiple neural models.
 
References:
[1] Usui, S., Yamazaki, T., Ikeno, H., Okumura, Y., Satoh, S., Kamiyama, Y., Hirata, Y., Inagaki, K., Kannon, T., Kamiji, N., & Ishihara, A. (2009). Simulation platform: a test environment of computational models via web. In Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: Neuroinformatics 2009. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.11.2009.08.047
[2] Usui, S., Yamazaki, T., Ikeno, H., Okumura, Y., Satoh, S., Kamiyama, Y., Hirata, Y., Inagaki, K., Ishihara, A., Kannon, T., Kamiji, N., & Akazawa, F. (2010). Simulation platform: Model simulation on the cloud. In Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: Neuroinformatics 2010. doi:10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.13.00100
[3] Yamazaki, T., Ikeno, H., Okumura, Y., Satoh, S., Kamiyama, Y., Hirata, Y., Inagaki, K., Ishihara, A., Kannon, T., Usui, S. (2011), Simulation Platform Beta: A Clound-Based Online Simulation Environment. Submitted to Neural Networks.

Figure 1
Image

Keywords: Infrastructural and portal services

Conference: 4th INCF Congress of Neuroinformatics, Boston, United States, 4 Sep - 6 Sep, 2011.

Presentation Type: Demo Presentation

Topic: Infrastructural and portal services

Citation: Ikeno H, Yamaaki T, Okumura Y, Satoh S, Kamiyama Y, Hirata Y, Inagaki K, Ishihara A, Kannon T and Usui S (2011). Simulation Platform: Quick and easy access environment of model simulation in computational neuroscience. Front. Neuroinform. Conference Abstract: 4th INCF Congress of Neuroinformatics. doi: 10.3389/conf.fninf.2011.08.00113

Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters.

The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated.

Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed.

For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions.

Received: 17 Oct 2011; Published Online: 19 Oct 2011.

* Correspondence: Dr. Hidetoshi Ikeno, University of Hyogo, Kobe, Japan, ikeno@shse.u-hyogo.ac.jp