This month, the Obama Administration made some major headlines with the announcement of a new effort to map the human brain, which could unlock the mysteries of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases.
The major initiative, called brain research through advancing innovative neurotechnologies (BRAIN), will require a coordinated approach by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and support from academia and the private sector.
InformationWeek recently pointed out that the foundation of this effort would rest heavily upon big data. With a proposed investment of $100 million for the first year of the project, the BRAIN Project will require the most cutting-edge data analytic capabilities.
“Significant breakthroughs will require a new generation of tools to enable researchers to record signals from brain cells in much greater numbers and at even faster speeds. This cannot currently be achieved, but great promise for developing such technologies lies at the intersections of nanoscience, imaging, engineering, informatics and other rapidly emerging fields,” the White House said in a press release.
As discussed during the technology leadership series event on “Big data analytics in the new budget reality,” hosted by UNICOM Government, the possibilities for Big Data and government are nearly limitless. From the vast amount of data collected and used by NOAA to advances by the intelligence community to the PTO managing 8.5 million patents going back to 1790, there are numerous examples of big data in action within the government.
The Obama Administration’s BRAIN Project is another example of how big data will be the driving force behind new and innovative government programs. We look forward to watching this effort progress and will certainly be highlighting more Big Data news at it applies to this groundbreaking program.