Jeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins moved from building computers to brain research, and he co-founded Numenta to reverse-engineer the human neocortex. At GRiD Systems he developed the GRiDPad tablet, and in 1992 he founded Palm Computing, creating the PalmPilot. The National Academy of Engineering elected him in 2003, and he authored On Intelligence in 2004 and A Thousand Brains in 2021. He serves as research advisor and board member of the Thousand Brains Project, which aims to create a new type of artificial intelligence.
- Now at
- Numenta and Thousand Brains Project
- Works
- 33
- Citations
- 3,436
- h-index
- 17
Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.
Timeline
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1979
The GRiDPad tablet
He earns a BS in electrical engineering from Cornell in 1979, then joins GRiD Systems, where he develops the GRiDPad, one of the first successful tablet computers.
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1992–1998
Founding Palm Computing
He founds Palm Computing in 1992, creating the PalmPilot and the Graffiti handwriting system. In 1998 he and Donna Dubinsky co-found Handspring.
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2002–2005
Co-founding Numenta
In 2002 he returns to neuroscience and founds the Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience. In 2005 he co-founds Numenta to reverse-engineer the human neocortex.
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2003
National Academy of Engineering member
He is elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2003.
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2004–2021
On Intelligence and A Thousand Brains
He authors On Intelligence in 2004 and A Thousand Brains in 2021.
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Since 2025
Thousand Brains Project advisor
In 2025 Numenta announces that the Thousand Brains Project, which aims to create a new type of artificial intelligence, is an independent nonprofit separate from Numenta. He serves as its research advisor and board member, while continuing on Numenta's board.
Sources and credits
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