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Hybrid Robot Uses Rat Brain

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the rodent-cyborgs dept.

CowboyRobot writes "After two recent stories of artificial brains used to control rats and one about MIT doing the reverse, NYTimes now has a piece on similar work done at Georgia Tech From the article: "...the layer of rat neurons is grown over an array of electrodes that pick up the neurons' electrical activity. A computer analyzes the activity of the several thousand brain cells in real time to detect spikes produced by neurons firing near an electrode." But this time you can buy one for $3,000."

2 of 251 comments (clear)

  1. Artificial retina by BWJones · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you could create a multi-laminar structure, this setup might be ideal for an artificial retina. Currently, the bionic retinas being used are nowhere near as sensitive as they need to be to create any useful phototransduction, even if the neural retinal substrate underneath remained intact (which it does not). A multilaminar device could sandwich photosensitive elements combined with neural substrates that would function as the neural interface to the output of the retina, the remaining ganglion cells.

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  2. Living tissue by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How do they keep the nerve cells alive? Are they actually fed, oxygenated, and protected from infection?