Ronald van Elburg


Dr  Ronald A.J. van Elburg
Sensory Cognition Group
Institute of Artificial Intelligence
University of Groningen
PO box 72
9700 AB, Groningen
The Netherlands
tel:     +31-50-363 6824
secr:  +31-50-363 6577
fax:    +31-50-363 6687

Professional

At present I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Sensory Cognition Group at the Institute of Artificial Intelligence of the University of Groningen. My current work is conducted within the Sensor City Sound project and focuses on sound recognition in natural scenes on the basis of ‘sound textures’. We believe that this crude separation of sound in pulses, tones and noises allow us to select more targeted algorithms for further processing, and eventually leads to highly reliable sound classifiers.

My general scientific interest is to find neuroscientific derivations for the computational principles that underly cognition. Valid computational principles should allow for the construction of systems which implement the associated cognitive function. I am at present researching two scientific topics based on this idea: multi-modal concept formation in the neocortex and sound recognition in the auditory system. My approach to these topics is strongly influenced by ideas from reservoir computing and computational auditory scene analysis.

In addition to the research directions mentioned above, I am also involved in several other collaborations and projects, and work on such diverse topics as the biophysics of neuronal bursting, the influence of GABAA-receptor maturation on cortical network dynamics, dendritic branching, behavioral tracking of rodents, derivation of the link from cognitive models/modules (ACT-R) to experimentally measured evoked responses, the evolution of nervous systems, robust vowel recognition based on reservoir computing, and the application of Bregman's principles to sound source separation.

Professional History

2007-present Postdoctoral research fellow, Sensory Cognition Group, Institute of Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.
2004-2007 Postdoctoral researcher, Experimental Neurophysiology group, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
2000-2004 Software Engineer (Uniface product), Compuware Europe B.V.
1996-2000 PhD in Theoretical Physics,
Institute for Theoretical Physics Amsterdam, title of dissertation:Quasi-Particles for Fractional Quantum Hall Systems.
1995-1996 Training for liable officer.
1988-1995 MSc in Theoretical Physics, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Publications

Student Projects


Last modified spring 2012.