Adaptive and integrated visualization of spatiotemporal data from large-scale simulations

• US 8,699,566 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ananthanarayanan, Rajagopal, Chandra, Shyamal S., Modha, Dharmendra S., Singh, Raghavendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Christopher S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jebari, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US12/695,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20110182349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/049 Temporal neural networks, e.g. delay elements, oscillating neurons or pulsed inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Adaptive and integrated visualization of spatiotemporal data from large-scale simulation, is provided. A simulation is performed utilizing a simulator comprising multiple processors, generating spatiotemporal data samples from the simulation. Each data sample has spatial coordinates with a time stamp at a specific time resolution, and a tag. The data samples are assembled into data streams based on at least one of a spatial relationship and the corresponding tag. Each data stream is encoded into multiple formats, and an integrated and adaptive visualization of the data streams is displayed, wherein various data streams are simultaneously and synchronously displayed.

Claims

1. A method for presenting data from a simulation of a network of neurons, wherein the data is presented on a display screen, comprising:

performing a simulation utilizing a simulator comprising multiple processors;

generating spatiotemporal data samples comprising neuronal and synaptic information from the simulation of neurons, wherein each data sample has spatial coordinates with a time stamp at a specific time resolution, and wherein each data sample further comprises a tag identifying said data sample;

assembling the data samples into data streams based on a least one of a spatial relationship and tags associated with the data samples;

encoding each data stream into multiple formats by performing two-dimensional color-mapping visualization of the data samples based on spatial coordinates, time stamp and value of each data sample; and

displaying an integrated and adaptive visualization of the data streams, wherein various data streams in multiple formats are simultaneously and synchronously displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein for each data sample spatial relationships are defined over a k-dimensional grid.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the neuronal and synaptic information comprises a neuronal state of at least one neuron;

wherein a neuronal state of a neuron comprises information relating to at least one of the following;

a spiking of said neuron, a membrane potential of said neuron, and a synaptic current associated with said neuron.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing the number of data streams being displayed at run-time, for enabling a user to tailor the visualization according to the simulation experiment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein encoding each data stream further comprises:

segregating the data samples into data streams corresponding to different cortical sheets on a display grid, and generating a video stream for each cortical sheet, wherein all data values at a time instance are mapped to a frame of the video stream, such that a pixel of the frame represents a grid position and color of the pixel encodes the data value at that time instance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

generating spatiotemporal data samples from the simulation further comprises storing the data samples from each processor in a storage;

assembling the data samples into data streams further comprises reading said stored data samples from different processors and assembling the data samples into data streams based on a least one of;

a spatial relationship and tags associated with data samples; and

encoding each data stream further comprises displaying the data streams as a time-series plot representing the value of data samples at previous X timesteps, wherein the number of previous timesteps can be specified by the user.

7. A computer program product for presenting data from a simulation of a network of neurons, wherein the data is presented on a display screen, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable non-transitory medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to perform a simulation utilizing a simulator comprising multiple processors;

computer readable program code configured to generate spatiotemporal data samples comprising neuronal and synaptic information from the simulation of neurons, wherein each data sample has spatial coordinates with a time stamp and a specific time resolution, and wherein each data sample further comprises a tag identifying said data sample;

computer readable program code configured to assemble the data samples into data streams based on a least one of a spatial relationship and tags associated with the data samples;

computer readable program code configured to encode each data stream into multiple formats by performing two-dimensional color-mapping visualization of the data samples based on spatial coordinates, time stamp and value of each data sample; and

computer readable program code to display an integrated and adaptive visualization of the data streams, wherein various data streams in multiple formats are simultaneously and synchronously displayed.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein for each data sample spatial relationships are defined over a k-dimensional grid.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein:

the neuronal and synaptic information comprises a neuronal state of at least one neuron;

wherein a neuronal state of a neuron comprises information relating to at least one of the following;

a spiking of said neuron, a membrane potential of said neuron, and a synaptic current associated with said neuron.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising computer readable program code configured to allow the number of data streams being displayed to be changed at run-time, thereby enabling a user to tailor the visualization according to the simulation experiment.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to segregate the data samples into data streams corresponding to different cortical sheets on a display grid, and generate for display a video stream for each cortical sheet in a grid wherein all data values at a time instance are mapped to an frame of a video stream where a pixel of a frame represents a grid position and color of the pixel encodes the data value at that time instance;

computer readable program code configured to display the data streams as a time-series plot representing the value of data samples at previous X timesteps, wherein the number of previous timesteps can be specified by the user; and

computer readable program code configured to provide synchronous playback between various data streams.

12. A system for presenting data from a simulation of a network of neurons, wherein the data is presented on a display screen, comprising:

a simulator comprising multiple processors configured for performing a simulation and generating spatiotemporal data samples comprising neuronal and synaptic information from the simulation of neurons and storing the data samples from each processor in storage, wherein each data sample has spatial coordinates with a time stamp and a specific time resolution, and wherein each data sample further comprises a tag identifying said data sample;

an encoder configured for;

reading the stored data samples from different processors;

assembling the data samples into data streams based on at least one of a spatial relationship and tags associated with the data samples; and

encoding each data stream into multiple formats by performing two-dimensional color-mapping visualization of the data samples based on spatial coordinates, time stamp and value of each data sample; and

a visualizer configured for displaying an integrated and adaptive visualization of the data streams, wherein various data streams in multiple formats are simultaneously and synchronously displayed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the neuronal and synaptic information comprises a neuronal state of at least one neuron;

wherein a neuronal state of a neuron comprises information relating to at least one of the following;

a spiking of said neuron, a membrane potential of said neuron, and a synaptic current associated with said neuron; and

spatial relationships are defined over a k-dimensional grid.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the visualizer is further configured such that number of data streams being displayed can be changed at run-time, thereby enabling a user to tailor the visualization according to the simulation experiment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the visualizer is further configured for;

segregating the data samples into data streams corresponding to different cortical sheets on a display grid, and generating a video stream for each cortical sheet in a grid wherein all data values at a time instance are mapped to an frame of a video stream where a pixel of a frame represents a grid position and color of the pixel encodes the data value at that time instance; and

displaying the data streams as a time-series plot representing the value of data samples at previous X timesteps, wherein the number of previous timesteps can be specified by the user; and

providing synchronous playback between various data streams.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the simulator comprises a cortical simulator.