NeuroCoCoon is a protective development environment and experimentation workbench for spiking neural networks (SNNs) running on neuromorphic hardware.
The network is described in a graph-based visual language and is built from neuron populations (nodes) and synapse connectors (edges). User-defined neuron types and synapse types ensure consistent parameter choices for all related parts of the network architecture.
In addition, predefined network modules can be used as building blocks that encapsulate proven and robust SNN architectural principles. Modules expose only the externally relevant parameters of their constituents. Multiple instances of the same kind of module may use different parameter settings. This includes structural parameters that scale the underlying generic module architecture and can influence the number of external connection points (ports) provided by the module.
A visually created network is then checked for structural and logic errors, before it is translated into an equivalent PyNN-based program. Networks can be simulated on the NEST software simulator, if NeuroCoCoon is running as a local application, or on the SpiNNaker and BrainScalesS platforms of the European Horizon 2020 Human Brain Project (HBP), if NeuroCoCoon is running as a client side web application inside the HBP collaboratory.
This open source software code was developed in part in the Human Brain Project, funded from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation under the Specific Grant Agreement No. 720270 (HBP SGA1) and 785907 (HBP SGA2).