Rat Brain Controls Robot: Neural Network Created on Petri Dish

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The discussion centers on a groundbreaking experiment where rat neurons are cultured on a Petri dish equipped with 60 electrodes, forming a neural network capable of controlling an aircraft flight simulator and a small mobile robot. Researchers T. DeMarse from the University of Florida and S. Potter from Georgia Tech demonstrated that these neurons can spontaneously connect and adapt their behavior based on feedback. This development blurs the lines between biological and artificial intelligence, raising both excitement and ethical concerns about the future of robotics.

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/10/041022104658.htm

a few thousand individual cells, rat neurons, placed on a Petri dish with 60 built-in electrodes, spontaneously connect themselves to form a neural network which is capable of controling things*
and modifying its behavior as a result of feedback.

*controling things means controling an aircraft flight simulator (T. DeMarse at U. Florida) or a small mobile robot (S. Potter at Georgia Tech).

There may already be thread about this, since there was a Georgia Tech release about it over a year ago. Anybody remember?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030428082503.htm
 
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Once more science fiction becomes reality :bugeye:
 
Oh great. The next thing you know we will have robots digging through the garbage and crawling through the walls.

Really though, quite amazing; and a little scary.