The creation of a rat cyborg

[Brugmansia]

I'm not sure whether this is a hoax or not, but it looks impressive yet controversal to me. Perhaps someone can shed more light on this as I can't be arsed to look for further info myself.

http://technology.newscientist.com/arti ... thing.html

 

[GOD]

Its true but its software not a real rat brain .

 

[Brugmansia]

Of course, you'd know GOD. :lol:

 

[Getaphix]

not that i am disagreeing with god, but they did say in the newscience magazine and the video that this was connected to a real rats brain, that of which would only survive a number on months untill it 'died', and that each brain reacted differently..... does that mean rats have personality on some scale?

 

[foureyes]

There is a real rat brain, but it's not doing as much as the article would like you to believe... it's not like it's learning to drive or something, it's more being used as a storage mechanism for a set of basic instructions.

Here's my understanding (I am not a scientist) based on the other articles i've been reading about this experiment:

1. They extract a mass of brain cells from a rat foetus, they do this because the cells will not yet have many defined neuron pathways because the foetus hasn't had any serious sensory input.

2. They put the rat brain mass in some protein liquid and attach some electrodes or something to it to stimulate the brain.

3. They start stimulating the rat brain based on what the robots sensors are "seeing".

4. This stimulation causes the brain to start forming forming permanent neuron pathways based on the different sensory input sent to the brain mass.

5. Now they have a these pathways formed they can put more sensors on the brain that watch for these pathways to light up.

6. Now they can map specific neurons firing in the brain to actual functions of the the robot, making it move around.

Ultimately the brain isn't figuring out how to move the robot, the scientists are seeing what the result in the brain is when they input a specific stimulus. Then mapping that result to a function of the robot based on their observation.

From what I understand this is just the first phase of the experiment.. what they want to do next is take the brain with the formed pathways, mess them up so they don't fire properly anymore and see how the brain reacts. Does it form new pathways? Can the brain find an alternate way to get that same end response and still move the robot, but with new pathways?

The idea is to learn more about brain development and repair to better treat illnesses like Alzheimers etc.

If anyone knows better please correct me. I think this is awesome science and I hope to hear more about it as they continue with the study.

 

[GOD]

Why does it say "A robot controlled by a simulated rat brain" and "with the rat-inspired control software." ?

IF.... it is a real rat brain i hope the bastards that are doing it will have a very long and very painfull death .

 

[GOD]

It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain .

 

[Horrigan]

we did it !! :shock:
I knew it would become true someday.
Conscious brain cells controlling machines.
Maybe in some future there will be a war between people who want to be uploaded to machines and those who will refuse that.
I don't remember the name of the book.

 

[GOD]

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

 

[mountain-girl]

and how long has donna haraway been talking about this? actually not that long, but long enough-read the cybor manifesto, her style of writing is a bit academic erudite for no reason, but shes pretty brilliant

 

[Horrigan]

Oh, sorry, I didn't read correctly, but I'm codeinated, that's why.

 

[Brugmansia]

IF.... it is a real rat brain i hope the bastards that are doing it will have a very long and very painfull death .

I actually posted this to hear what everyone thinks about these technologies if it ever comes available.

Such ethical questions as these, have always fascinated me. I wonder or putting a true genetical code with it's signals and functions from a real being, is considered as right, neutral or wrong amoung psychonauts.

 

[druglessdouglas]

" a functional model ", not a real rat brain

the ethics, we had a similar discussion in university regarding GM pigs hearts. ill leave it to everyone else to come to their own conclusions

 

[foureyes]

"It says at least 7 times in the article that its not a real rat brain ."

I think the video and the article are about 2 different but similiar studies. There is a study that is using real rat brains (or parts of at least, not the whole thing), that was what I was describing. Here an article that better explains the study and that better fits with the video in the initial post:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7559150.stm

 

[foureyes]

IF.... it is a real rat brain i hope the bastards that are doing it will have a very long and very painfull death .

I actually posted this to hear what everyone thinks about these technologies if it ever comes available.

Such ethical questions as these, have always fascinated me. I wonder or putting a true genetical code with it's signals and functions from a real being, is considered as right, neutral or wrong amoung psychonauts.

I'm sure there will be a wide variety of responses within this community just like many others.. it is a very controversial topic.

I for one fully support this type of science. It is studies like this that will lead us to better understand how our own brains actually work and to better understand the mysteries associated with memory, consciousness, mental illness and so much more.

 

[GOD]

Cyborgs . Human brain reprograming , mind control , deleting experiences and slavery of the human race . The end of personal freedom . You will become obsolete .

 

[Horrigan]

Human brain cells controlling machines is something that always fascinated me, on long term we could become a race of machines controlled by brain cells (as we assume consciousness is in there), making our bodies the ultimate darwin evolution, if that's what we want...
Organic cells are just the transitional stage needed to develop conscious nano-technological cells.

But maybe technological bodies will never be superior to biological bodies, we can't know that, we need a war to get the answer.
Terminator 4 coming soon ^^


On short term, we could have access to real artificial intelligence, with all ethic problems it involves.

 

[????????]

I, for one, welcome our new rat-brained cyborg overlords.

 

[BrainEater]

life > machines

life = creator of machines, obviously

the point when creations take over their creators > all


peace. :weedman: