Programming, Python, PyNN and Nest

• I don't expect that anyone is a good programmer at this point. (It's easier if you are.)
• Hopefully, you'll be a bit better at it at the end of the module.
• We'll be using a neural simulator called Nest . There are a lot of different simulators, but I've been using Nest for a few years, so we're using that.
• We'll build up topologies, inputs, and outputs using PyNN. That's middleware and stands for a Python package for neural net simulation.
• The idea of PyNN is that you can implement your system in PyNN, then call one simulator (say Nest) to run it. If you try it in a different simulator (say Brian) or on a neuromorphic system (say SpiNNaker), it does the same thing.
• I'm not sure if it's entirely successful, but I have managed to get the same code to run on both SpiNNaker and Nest which actually helps in developing code as both have their out benefits and pitfalls.
• Of course, PyNN is actually Python. So, you'll be doing a bit of Python programming.
• The first coursework shouldn't require much programming, though you'll have to modify parameters (like neural parameters).
• The second coursework will involve a bit of programming, but I can help if necessary.