Kevin Spiess - Friday, June 19th, 2009 | 1:09PM (PT)
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Uses rat brain cells and has Bluetooth controls
Turns out 2009 was the year the first real cyborg was made.
Researchers at the University of Reading in the U.K. made a robot that is powered by biological tissue -- in other words, a cyborg (Robocop took place in 1997 so I guess we are a bit behind, but hey, it is hard to pin an exact date on these things).
Neuron brain cells from a rat, put into a jar, control the robot remotely through a Bluetooth connection (nope, not making this up). The communication is two-way, so the rat brain gets some feedback of where it is, and what it is doing.
"It's quite funny - you get differences between the brains. This one is a bit boisterous and active, while we know another is not going to do what we want it to," said Kevin Warwick, one of the project's researchers (quote taken from website Mendicant Bug).
I feel a bit sorry for the rat -- it is certainly not having a good time in this experiment!
So this is on the level? No one is actually controlling it, and somehow the living rat brain tissue is communicating with the non biological mechanisms and sensors?
LOL yeah in a few years from now we will probably have pets like that A robot dog that would recognize you, develop affection, run after the neighbor's cat, etc. Except you don't have to manage its poop.
Well, that's good to watch, but not a groundbreaking act!
What we really need for future cyborg program is "learning function". But it's still literally a light year away to invent a cyborg with a six months old baby brain and of course, with "automatic learning brain" to develop itself independently.
Nonetheless, some gurus say that in the not so distant future, computre operating systems will be incorporated with "learning function" which is adaptable to differnet users. I look forward to use that!
Technically, at the current rate of growth, computer processing power will equallize with that of a standard 21-year-old by 2020. Processing power doubled every couple of years. Wouldn't it be nice to have semi-intellegent robots do all your work. Ones that were just smart enough to follow oral commands and make simple decisions.
I'm really sorry, jdj1976, but you should really keep an eye on your history (and sadly, pop culture). The first thing to be done with any "intelligent" robot, or cyborg in this case, would be the application of Asimov's Laws. Now, of course the obvious response is that these can be broken, but the same can be said of any such safeguards. So, yeah, its freaky as hell, but I think the world would be a lot better off if hazardous or extreme environment work was done by cyborgs. In the meantime, why are you using a computer if you're afraid of the robots taking over? Don't you know that by participating in modern computing, you're contributing to the "rise of the machine?" lol
If anything, cyborgs should stop the "rise of the machines" because they're still biological organisms at heart (or brain). Besides, sooner or later, we'll all be cyborgs with mechanical enhancements. Robots should be feared (or rather sentient robots); cyborgs should be highly regarded.
I mean, how would you react if you suddenly found yourself in a motorized vehicle, unaware of how you got there, why you're there, and WTF you're going to be able to do about it?
Of course, some may find that idea cool, but I'm sure if it actually happened to them, they would NOT be pleased....
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and i did noticed how it sensored the chair so it didn't go in to it a new advancment in technolgy?
What we really need for future cyborg program is "learning function". But it's still literally a light year away to invent a cyborg with a six months old baby brain and of course, with "automatic learning brain" to develop itself independently.
Nonetheless, some gurus say that in the not so distant future, computre operating systems will be incorporated with "learning function" which is adaptable to differnet users. I look forward to use that!
after some point they will see how more advance they are and will start to wonder why do i have to folow directions when i am the higher life form
I mean, how would you react if you suddenly found yourself in a motorized vehicle, unaware of how you got there, why you're there, and WTF you're going to be able to do about it?
Of course, some may find that idea cool, but I'm sure if it actually happened to them, they would NOT be pleased....