We have reported on this technology two years ago, but the research has advanced quite a bit and it is time for an update. Researchers from the University of Reading have made a robot that is controlled by brain cells extracted from rats. The cells are cultured and connected to the control circuit. The cells are alive and able to form new connections on-the-go. Where last time the robot moved around slowly in a wooden box without obstacles, now they move around freely on the floor at a much faster pace. The neurons learn to avoid obstacles with improving performance over time. A set of brain cells only lasts three months, after which it needs to be replaced by a new set, which actually shows, as you might expect, different behavior patterns. Of course this blurring of the line between organisms and robots sparks some ethical questions, making the researchers write a paper on the “Implications and consequences of robots with biological brains”. See the robot in action below:
More at: Wired…