Capocaccia Cognitive Neuromorphic Engineering Workshop 2025: 2025

The mission of the CapoCaccia Workshops for Neuromorphic Intelligence is to understand the principles of biological intelligence and apply this knowledge in technologies, for the good of all mankind.

Theme for 2025:

Over the course of millions of years, brains have evolved intricate networks of neurons that implement remarkable computations, including sensory integration, navigation, motor control and decision-making. But what are the types of circuits and network motifs that the evolutionary pressures have selected to give rise to intelligent systems? And how do they form during development? Are cortical circuits–the alleged pinnacle of our evolutionary path–the best computational substrate to perform any kind of computation?

In the first week of this year’s Capocaccia we will delve into these questions, possibly shaking the foundations of what is considered natural intelligence, and how it should be implemented. 

During the second week we will transition to exploring how these principles can be translated into practical neuromorphic applications, with a focus on robotics, brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), and the implementation of circuits in future neuromorphic substrates.

The workshop will foster interdisciplinary discussions, and explore how computations like sensory processing, navigation, and adaptive behavior can be implemented in both machines and animals. Our vision is to bridge the gap between biology and artificial intelligence, pushing forward the boundaries of what is possible in both natural and engineered systems.

The porgram features open and highly interactive discussion sessions in the morning; hands-on projects, tutorials, and hardware and software jamming sessions during the day; and free-form discussions in the evenings.

The workshop is open to everyone, but since resources are limited, we can accept only a limited number of registrations. Due to the limited number of hotel rooms, Ph.D. students are expected to pair up and share rooms. All participants are encouraged to stay for the full two week period, but can stay for less if necessary.

Participants are expected to use their own sources of funding to pay their travel, accommodation, and registration expenses.