Rajesh Rao seeks to understand the human brain through
computational modeling, on two fronts: developing computer
models of our minds, and using tech to decipher the 4,000-year-
old script of the Indus valley civilization. Rajesh Rao is
looking for the computational principles underlying the brain's
remarkable ability to learn, process and store information --
hoping to apply this knowledge to the task of building adaptive
robotic systems and artificially intelligent agents. Some of the
questions that motivate his research include: How does the brain
learn efficient representations of novel objects and events
occurring in the natural environment? What are the algorithms
that allow useful sensorimotor routines and behaviors to be
learned? What computational mechanisms allow the brain to adapt
to changing circumstances and remain fault-tolerant and robust?
By investigating these questions within a computational and
probabilistic framework, it is often possible to derive
algorithms that not only provide functiona