<p>I'm working through <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0199794545" rel="nofollow">How to Build a Brain</a> and I keep getting confused on the relation between Nengo, the Semantic Pointer Architecture (SPA) and the Neurological Engineering Framework (NEF).</p>

<p>Are there general names and a general way to describe these components? I'm assuming the individual tasks they are performing are not unique, although I do believe that the result is unique. For example, I believe the role performed by SPA is similar to the one proposed by the <a href="http://cogprints.org/3196/1/neuralarchs.pdf" rel="nofollow">Neural Blackboard Architecture</a>, but I would really like to know if there is an equivalent to NEF and/or Nengo. Also, where does ACT-R fit into this whole thing?</p>

<cognitive-neuroscience><theoretical-neuroscience><computational-modeling><nef>
Relation between Nengo, SPA and NEF with respect to other Neural Models
Seanny123
# Relation between Nengo, SPA and NEF with respect to other Neural Models

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-08)

I'm working through [How to Build a Brain](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0199794545) and I keep getting confused on the relation between Nengo, the Semantic Pointer Architecture (SPA) and the Neurological Engineering Framework (NEF).

Are there general names and a general way to describe these components? I'm assuming the individual tasks they are performing are not unique, although I do believe that the result is unique. For example, I believe the role performed by SPA is similar to the one proposed by the [Neural Blackboard Architecture](http://cogprints.org/3196/1/neuralarchs.pdf), but I would really like to know if there is an equivalent to NEF and/or Nengo. Also, where does ACT-R fit into this whole thing?

**Tags:** cognitive-neuroscience, theoretical-neuroscience, computational-modeling, nef


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