How we control our power systems in the future may involve a lot more brain power than it does today. That's because Missouri S&T researchers are tapping the power of the brain to learn how to better control complex utility grids.
Thanks to a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation's Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation, Missouri S&T researchers led by Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy will use living neural networks composed of thousands of brain cells from laboratory rats to control simulated power grids in the lab. From those studies, the researchers hope to create BIANNs -- "biologically inspired" artificial neural networks -- to control complex power grids. Eventually, they plan to use the BIANNs to control grids in Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria and elsewhere.
"We want to develop a totally new architecture than what exists today," says Venayagamoorthy, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. "Power systems control is very complex, and the brain is a very flexible, very adaptable network. The brain is really good at handling uncertainties."
Further reading:
This is your grid on brains, our official news release.
NSF's announcement of the EFRI awards.
Thanks to a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation's Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation, Missouri S&T researchers led by Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy will use living neural networks composed of thousands of brain cells from laboratory rats to control simulated power grids in the lab. From those studies, the researchers hope to create BIANNs -- "biologically inspired" artificial neural networks -- to control complex power grids. Eventually, they plan to use the BIANNs to control grids in Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria and elsewhere.
"We want to develop a totally new architecture than what exists today," says Venayagamoorthy, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. "Power systems control is very complex, and the brain is a very flexible, very adaptable network. The brain is really good at handling uncertainties."
Further reading:
This is your grid on brains, our official news release.
NSF's announcement of the EFRI awards.
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