Jeff Hawkins
Jeffrey Hawkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age Huntington, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, computer scientist, neuroscientist, engineer |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Known for | Co-founder of Palm Computing and Handspring; founder of Redwood Neuroscience Institute; co-founder of Numenta; author of On Intelligence and A Thousand Brains |
Jeffrey Hawkins is an American entrepreneur, computer scientist, neuroscientist, and engineer. He played a pivotal role in establishing Palm Computing, where he contributed to the development of the PalmPilot and Treo devices, as well as co-founding Handspring.
In 2002, Hawkins redirected his career toward neuroscience by launching the Redwood Neuroscience Institute. Three years later, in 2005, he co-founded Numenta, focusing on decoding the neocortex's functions and creating machine intelligence technologies inspired by brain science.
He is the co-author of On Intelligence (2004), which presents his memory-prediction framework theory of brain operation, and authored A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence (2021).
Education
Hawkins obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University in 1979. His fascination with pattern recognition related to speech and text input motivated him to pursue biophysics studies at the University of California, Berkeley in 1986. During this time, he secured a patent for a "pattern classifier" designed for handwritten text recognition, although his doctoral proposal on neocortical theory was ultimately declined.
Career
Beginning in 1982, Hawkins worked at GRiD Systems, where he developed rapid application development (RAD) software named GRiDtask. Between 1988 and 1992, serving as vice president of research, he spearheaded their pen-based computing projects, culminating in the 1989 release of the GridPad, one of the earliest tablet computer models.
In January 1992, Hawkins founded Palm Inc.. He left the company in 1998 alongside co-founders Donna Dubinsky and Ed Colligan to establish Handspring. Later, in March 2005, Hawkins joined forces with Dubinsky and Dileep George to create Numenta, Inc.
Neuroscience
After encountering limited support from traditional institutions, Hawkins founded the Redwood Neuroscience Institute in Menlo Park, California, in 2002. In 2004, he collaborated with Sandra Blakeslee to publish On Intelligence, introducing his "memory-prediction framework" model explaining brain function.
His research emphasized the role of cortical columns, proposing in 2016 that these structures encode sensory information along with their spatial context within a three-dimensional framework. This theory highlights the brain’s spatial modeling capabilities. In 2021, Hawkins released A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence, detailing Numenta’s progress in decoding intelligence and cortical processing. The book discusses implications for artificial intelligence development, identifying current technological shortcomings while exploring future prospects and challenges.
In recognition of his contributions to handheld computing technology, Hawkins was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2003 for "the creation of the hand-held computing paradigm and the first commercially successful hand-held computing device." Additionally, he served on the Advisory Board of the Secular Coalition for America, providing guidance on promoting acceptance and inclusion of nontheistic perspectives within American society.
Books
- On Intelligence: How a New Understanding of the Brain will Lead to the Creation of Truly Intelligent Machines (2004), co-written with Sandra Blakeslee and published by Times Books, Henry Holt and Co.
- A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence (2021), published by Basic Books.
Sources Consulted
- Barnett, Shawn. "Jeff Hawkins: The individual largely responsible for revitalizing the handheld computing sector," Pen Computing, Issue 33.
- Chace, Calum. "Reviewing 'A Thousand Brains' by Jeff Hawkins: Introducing a New Intelligence Theory," Forbes, March 23, 2021.
- Cooley, Brian. "Innovative approaches to advancing artificial intelligence," CNET, March 22, 2021.
- Dubinsky, Donna. "Personal Digital Assistants," Who Made America?, PBS.
- Markoff, John. "Launch of a New Enterprise Concentrating on Artificial Intelligence," The New York Times, March 24, 2005.
- Metz, Cade. "Jeff Hawkins Opens Up About His Brain Research," The New York Times, October 14, 2018.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1957 births
- Living people
- American computer businesspeople
- American neuroscientists
- American artificial intelligence researchers
- Businesspeople from the San Francisco Bay Area
- Cornell University College of Engineering alumni
- Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering
- Palm, Inc.
- People from Huntington, New York
- Scientists from the San Francisco Bay Area
- University of California, Berkeley alumni