Getting access to the NMC systems BrainScaleS and SpiNNaker

To use the Neuromorphic computing platform (SpiNNaker and BrainScaleS machines, free of charge for tests and for accepted research projects):

1. Get an EBRAINS account (free of charge). Use the "Create your account" button.
2. EITHER:
   1. Send an email to neuromorphic@humanbrainproject.eu stating your EBRAINS account username
   2. We will create a Collab for you, free of charge and complete with test quota and a few examples.
      Only for large 'production runs' another quota request is needed via the "Job Manager" in your collab (upper right hand corner in the JobManager: "Quota").
3. OR (to start immediately):
   1. for a quick "first look" (non-persistent = whatever you change in the example notebooks **will be lost** when the session expires. It is useful for a get-an-impression-fast:
      1. Access this URL: this will starts a lab session - you will be asked, which container to start. Please choose the one marked "recommended".
      2. Access the same URL again (if a lab session was already running for your user you only need to access the URL once)
         This then automatically clones the BrainScaleS example notebooks (from github) into the now running lab session into a non-persistent location and opens the tutorial index notebook.
         You can also directly jump to e.g. the single neuron notebook or the learning with superspike notebook.
         To run the notebook cells use the "Run" menu item.
   2. or with an own Collab - this allows you to also change the example notebooks and keep the changes
      1. create a new Collab for yourself:
         1. go to https://wiki.ebrains.eu/ and click the "Log-in" link in the upper right hand corner, log in with your new EBRAINS account
         2. Click the "Collabs" link in the menu bar at the top of the window
         3. Click the "Create a collab" green button and create a private Collab for yourself. The process re-directs you into the new Collab.  
      2. In your new Collab open the Lab and clone the files you want to work with:
         1. Click the "Lab" link in the left hand menu
            
         2. Select any of the "Lab Execution Site" offered,
            then select the "Official EBRAINS Docker image", click start. (Click "Launch Server", if you get a "Server not running" page)
            This will start a Jupyter Lab session (the "Lab") for you. 
             
         3. Start a "Terminal" via the icon in the "Launcher window" shown. This opens a terminal in the  "/mnt/user/shared/NAME_OF_YOUR_COLLAB/" directory. This is a location on the EBRAINS "Drive". Files stored in this location are stored persistently = will still be there, when you open your Collab again some days later 
            Note: If you use "File" > "New" > "Terminal" the opened terminal is in the directory "/opt/app-root/src". This location only exists while the Jupyter ("Lab") session is running and will be gone, when a new Lab session is started. Do not use this location, if you want to keep the files. To change into the persistent directory type "cd /mnt/user/shared/NAME_OF_YOUR_COLLAB" (without the " and the name of your your Collab instead of NAME_OF_YOUR_COLLAB. The collab name in the screenshot is "20250709-testCollab")
            
             
         4. then fetch the files you would like to work with.
            For the BrainScaleS-2 interactive notebooks use the command in the terminal window: 
            git clone https://github.com/electronicvisions/brainscales2-demos.git --branch jupyter-notebooks-experimental
            
            
            The command clones the BrainScaleS interactive notebooks into a directory "brainscales2-demos". This directory appears then in the files list on the left hand side of the window. Double click it to enter the freshly cloned directory with tutorial notebooks.
            To see an overview, open the "tutorial.ipynb"
            
            Run the notebooks of your choice...
            
            
            For SpiNNaker example notebooks use the command in the terminal window:
            git clone https://github.com/SpiNNakerManchester/SpiNNakerJupyterExamples.git
            This creates the SpiNNakerJupyterExamples directory.
            First run the "Setup" notebook in the directory (choose the "EBRAINS-...." kernel, when asked), select "Run" > "Run all cells" 
            Then your environment is prepared to run the examples (e.g. the 01.RuningPyNNSimulations").
            Note: As Kernel (right hand corner of the title line of the notebook), please use the "EBRAINS-...." kernel, not the default iPython Kernel. Some modules will not be found with the default kernel.
4. Run your own neuromorphic simulations/emulations interactively via Jupyter notebook (link "LAB" in your Collab) directly in your browser (or via the "Job Manager") using your own PyNN described network and your own input data.
   To add the "Job Manager", if it is not in your Collab yet: Go to the start page of your Collab, click the "+ Create" button in the upper right hand corner, select "Community App" and type "Job Manager" in the "Title" field, then click "Create", then choose the "Neuromorphic Computing Job Manager" from the list of offered Apps and click "Save". Now a new link "Job Manager" is in the left hand menu of your Collab)
5. If anything fails: see the getting help page in the guidebook or use the support@ebrains.eu email contact.

The documentation: HBP Neuromorphic Computing Platform Guidebook (and a direct link to the BrainScaleS interactive tutorials documentation).

The service has been created mainly by and during the Human Brain Project (HBP). See the page on Neuromorphic computing on the HBP website for project information and the EBRAINS neuromorphic computing service page for the EBRAINS research infrastructure context.

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