A simulator for Freeman K-sets in Java

Freeman K-sets form a hierarchy of models of the dynamics of neuron populations at the mesoscopic (intermediate) level. The topology of connections is modeled by networks of excitatory and inhibitory populations of neurons; the dynamics is approximated by piecewise linearization of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODE). A simulator for the K-sets of levels K
₀
to K
₃
was built in Java in order to remedy some of the deficiencies found in the simulator available built in MATLAB, as defects that cause instabilities in the simulation, the lack of flexibility in the parameterization of the K
₃
-set and the high computational time required to use the simulator due to design and language decisions. Java was chosen because it is a popular, multi-platform, object oriented and computationally efficient language. The software developed in Java also allows easy integration with MATLAB and other environments. An application on clustering of social networking data evaluates the proposed simulator.