Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2026

A Simple Stimulatory Device for Evoking Point-like Tactile Stimuli: A Searchlight for LFP to Spike Transitions
Published on: March 25, 2014
SpikeCell: a deterministic spiking neuron
C Godin1, M B Gordon, J D Muller
1DRFMC/SPSMS, CEA Grenoble, 17 av. des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 09, France.
Abstract:
We present a model of spiking neuron that emulates the output of the usual static neurons with sigmoidal activation functions. It allows for hardware implementations of standard feedforward networks, trained off-line with any classical learning algorithm (i.e. back-propagation and its variants). The model is validated on hand-written digits recognition, and image classification tasks. A digital architecture is proposed and evaluated. The area needed for implementing the spiking neuron on a chip is 10 times smaller than that for the corresponding static neuron. The accuracy of the network's output increases with time, and reaches that of the emulated static neural network after an adequate integration period. Single errors in the spike trains, or interruption of the relaxation process, due for example to irradiation in harsh environments, are harmless.
Related Concept Videos
The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential.
Neural Circuits
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
The Synapse
Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview
The electrical gradient: The electrical gradient across cell membranes refers to the difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a cell. This difference drives the movement of ions towards or away from the cells. For instance, if the inside of the cell is more negatively charged relative to the...
Graded Potential
Graded potentials fall into two categories: depolarizing and hyperpolarizing. Depolarizing graded potentials typically occur when sodium (Na+) or calcium...
Synaptic Signaling

