As some of you know, we recently posted a major new paper titled “A Framework for Intelligence and Cortical Function Based on Grid Cells in the Neocortex”. We were very fortunate to receive coverage in the New York Times. The article was written about Jeff, our team, and the unusual nature of the research being done at Numenta. Cade Metz, the reporter, did a great job of summarizing, for the layman, the science behind the theoretical framework. The scientific material can be hard to understand, so I appreciated the clear description.

However, the article left some scientists with the impression that we were a closed door research lab, isolated from the rest of the scientific world. While it is true that Numenta is different, the notion that we are secretive and detached could not be further from the truth.

A Commitment to Open Science

I wanted to take this opportunity to lay out the framework for Open Science and collaboration that we have been developing over the last five years. Some of these are standard practices at Universities, but some are highly unusual:

Numenta is indeed unique in many ways. We are a small lab, but I am immensely proud of our strong commitment to openness and being a part of the broader scientific community. I can’t think of another lab that is as open as we are, and am hopeful that our experiments with Open Science can be a framework and inspiration to others.

Subutai Ahmad, PhD

VP Research

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