According to today’s Physorg.com newsletter, fascinating things are afoot at the University of Reading. Researchers are growing little biological brains made of rat neurons, and training them to control robots by way of a Bluetooth connection.
The scientists have in fact created several of these wee brains, which even seem to have their own personalities.
“It’s quite funny — you get differences between the brains,” said [professor Kevin] Warwick. “This one is a bit boisterous and active, while we know another is not going to do what we want it to.”
It is still early days, and the homegrown brainlets, however boisterous, are nonetheless capable so far of only the most rudimentary mentation, roughly equivalent to a record-company executive, Biblical literalist, or member of Congress. But the project shows great promise. Learn more here.
2 Comments
Malcolm,
I rather take offense at your snide insinuations as far as record-company executives and Biblical literalists are concerned. Very, very cheap shot.
Sorry, JK, but with fuel prices what they are, I have to cut costs somewhere.