Parallels between Computer Science and Neurobiology/Psychology

Similarities

In the realm of Computer Science, speed and efficiency are the key ingredients to building successful applications that handle large amounts of incoming data. Ideas of parallel and distributed computing have been known for some time now (~70 yrs?) and are just beginning to be fully harnessed.

Ironically enough, our own bodies have been employing these techniques long before there was even any notion of "computers."

Parallel Processing in the Auditory System

Distributed Processing in the Visual System

Valuable Lessons

Within the realm of Computer Science, the computer graphics community is slowly maturing from "Can we even do this?" to "How accurate (life-like) can we get this?".

As a result of the drive for accuracy, basic questions are being revisited; instead of "How much can we push this?" the question becomes "Do we actually need to do this?"

This is where Neurobiology/Psychology come into play. In graphics the limit to how far computing needs to be pushed can simply be set to limit of what we can percieve.

Perception in the Visual System