Connectionists: Competition: Predict every spike!

[RENAUD JOLIVET]

Here is our Challenge, open to everybody in neural modeling, machine 
learning, or similar fields:

- Is it possible to predict the timing of every spike that a neuron 
emits with 2ms precision?
- Is it possible to predict the subthreshold membrane potential with a 
precision of 2mV for arbitrary input?

Annotated training data and test stimuli from several cells under 
different stimulation conditions are available at 
http://icwww.epfl.ch/~gerstner//QuantNeuronMod2007/challenge.html

Important dates
   
* Data set available by March 16.
* Participants must submit their prediction by June 1st.
* Winner announced around June 10 .
* Winning results will be presented at the workshop June 25/26
      
Quantitative Neuron Modeling: Predicting every spike?
http://icwww.epfl.ch/~gerstner//QuantNeuronMod2007/

Competition and Prizes
The competition is organized in several categories, called A,B,C,D. 
Participants may run in one or several categories

* 1st prize :
 
- 4 nights of hotel in Lausanne at the Lake of Geneva, June 23-27.
- Free participation in the Quantitative Neuron Modeling workshop June 
25/26
- 35-minute-slot for talk as an Invited Speaker at the workshop.

* 2nd prize:

- Free participation in the Quantitative Neuron Modeling workshop June 
25/26
- Poster presentation and poster spotlight in the workshop.

Methods and Models:
The only aspect that counts for us is the quality of the prediction on 
the test set. In terms of methods, anything goes (machine learning, 
compartmental model, integrate-and-fire model, systems identification, 
etc...)

For details, see 
http://icwww.epfl.ch/~gerstner//QuantNeuronMod2007/challenge.htm
We hope that many people will take up the challenge. Let the best 
model win!

The organisation team
Renaud Jolivet
Arnd Roth
Felix Schuermann
Wulfram Gerstner