The school will focus on a new and rapidly growing field - the area of ‚Neuro-IT' and ‚neuroengineering' where neuroscience, cognitive science, information technology and robotics are approaching each other and starting to merge in interdisciplinary projects. It is intended to be an international, multi-disciplinary platform for junior and senior researchers and other professionals working in the field of Neuro-IT, as well as for students of engineering, physics, medicine, biology, or psychology. The 2007 summerschool will thematically focus on Cognition & Action.

The school is organized and funded by Neuro-IT.net, a EU Thematic Network, which aims at building a critical mass of new interdisciplinary research excellence at the interface between neurosciences and information technologies within the European Union and its associated states. Substantial support for the school is also provided by euCognition.org, an European Network fostering the advancement of cognitive science and, in particular, the development of artificial cognitive systems.

Theme
The theme Cognition & Action is inspired by a recent “pragmatic turn” in cognitive neuroscience that originated mostly in robotics. The field moves away from the traditional representation-centred towards an action-oriented framework. The basic concept is that cognition should not be understood as a capacity of deriving world-models, which then might provide a “database” for thinking, planning and problem-solving. Rather, it is emphasized that cognitive systems are always engaged in contexts of action that require fast selection of relevant information and constant sensorimotor exchange.
The key topics of the summerschool will include: ...