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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."

6 of 289 comments (clear)

  1. That outcome is very much exaggerated. by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "The team at the University of Reading in the UK hope their research will help provide treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's and epilepsy."

    That outcome is very much exaggerated, apparently to try to get more attention. Any such result would depend on other huge advancements not yet made.

  2. What was that sound? by Red+Flayer · · Score: 4, Insightful
    It was the whoosh of grant money going down the drain.

    This work will hopefully contribute to our knowledge of how brains work, but its potential should not be exaggerated, says Potter. "This system is a model. Everything it does is merely similar to what goes on in a brain, it's not really the same thing. We can learn about the brain - but it may mislead us."

    What? Is he serious, making a statement like that? Does he think grants grow on trees, that he can so blithely disregard the opportunity for sensationalistic coverage and the resultant exposure to those who issue private grants? Sure, Alzheimer's is mentioned, which is a nice hook, but he needs to make ridiculous claims in order to break through the wall of grant-deniers.

    Sheesh. What is the academic world coming to, that they make responsible statements regarding their research?

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  3. Re:Obligatory.. by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What exactly would robots with rat brains want to do, since they can't do any of their natural biological functions?

    --
    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  4. It's Kevin Warwick. by gedhrel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hugely inflated claims? From Captain Cyborg? To generate press attention?

    Film, as they say, at eleven.

  5. Re:What in the... by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Am I the only one who fails to see how these rodent zombie robots have anything to do with Alzheimer's?

    Perhaps you could try RTFAing, then applying some logical thought.

    They're studying how disassociated nerons make new connections and can be trained to reliably respond to stimuli, and how that response can be used to create predictable behavior.

    Now go ahead STFW for the pathophysiology of Alzheimers, and it's pretty easy to see how this could be useful in understanding Alzheimers, and perhaps in (eventually, with a lot of steps inbetween) help either prevent it, delay its onset, or reverse it.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  6. Where have all the good people gone? by OxFF52 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I found this article... then checked Slashdot.

    Where have all the intelligent slashdotters gone? Let's all STOP trying to come up with the funniest one-liner and talk about the subject at hand here.

    They have taken brain cells and taught them to control a robot. This is simply freakin' astounding!

    What else has been done related to this such as MEMS? Anyone?

    --
    programming myself into obsolescence