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Rat-Brained Robots Take Their First Steps

Posted by timothy on from the aside-from-snow-crash-and-politics dept.

missb writes "Brain tissue cultured from rats has controlled a wheeled robot around a lab, according to New Scientist this week. Researchers in the UK have harnessed signals from thousands of disembodied rat neurons, and manipulated them to get a robot to respond to instructions. The team at the University of Reading in the UK hope their research will help provide treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's and epilepsy."

4 of 289 comments (clear)

  1. Re:That outcome is very much exaggerated. by Joe+Tie. · · Score: 2, Informative

    To be fair, you kind of have to play the game to get funding at times. At least "It'll save the lives of our troops!" wasn't on there.

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    Everything will be taken away from you.
  2. Re:Rat-Brained overlords by colmore · · Score: 5, Informative

    Just because White Man's Science has yet to be stricken down by the angered Old Gods doesn't mean it won't.

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    In Capitalist America, bank robs you!
  3. Re:Rat-Brained overlords by Metasquares · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yeah, my first thought was "this is not even remotely related to Alzheimer's, and even relating it to epilepsy is a stretch." It's not about publicity, though; it's about funding.

  4. Nothing, because... by Chemisor · · Score: 2, Informative

    Nothing, because rats do not like cheese.