Cyborg Nation: Human Brain Melding With Robot? One Scientist Says “Yes”
So this scientist guy, Charles Higgins, an associate professor at University of Arizona, has successfully hooked up the brain of a moth to a 12 inch robot.
I’m not kidding.
From Computerworld:
…he basically straps a hawk moth to the robot and then puts electrodes in neurons that deal with sight in the moth’s brain. Then the robot responds to what the moth is seeing — when something approaches the moth, the robot moves out of the way.
Paging Dr. Frankenstein…
“Most computers will have some kind of living component to them. In time, our knowledge of biology will get to a point where if your heart is failing, we won’t wait for a donor. We’ll just grow you one. We’ll be able to do that with brains, too. If I could grow brains, I could really make computing efficient.”
The only thing I could think of when reading this article was that this was truly what is known as a “Mad Scientist.” But hey, who knows…the part that is really creepy is here:
While the moth is physically attached to the robot at this point, Higgins said he expects that one day only the brain itself will be needed. “Can we grow a brain that does what we want it to do? Can I grow an eye with a brain connected to it and have it do what I need it to do? Can I engineer an organism and hook it into my artificial system?” he asked. “Yes, I really think this is coming. There are things biology can do so much better. Think of a computer that can be both living and nonliving. We’d be growing tissue that has no more intelligence than a liver or a heart. I don’t see ethical issues here.”
One thing I do see is Robocop!
Read the whole Computerworld article by Sharon Gaudin here.
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This is all about making a machine that is responsive to biological signals. I expect to see Luke Skywalker’s hand on an Iraq war veteran.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:58 pmYeah, no problem at all … until these cyborgs want their independence. The Dems would no doubt fight for cyborg rights claiming they are ‘human’ too. Then the cyborgs decide to hook their brains up to really big (and improved) weapons. I saw that movie and it doesn’t turn out too well for the humans.
It sounds great that we would be able to ‘grow’ spare parts for ourselves but I wonder when that technology is ready for prime time, is the next 40 day flood far behind?
Playing God … nothing good can come of that. The path to Hell is paved with good intensions.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:04 pmI made a post on about the same subject a few days ago
http://mysoupis.blogspot.com/2007/11/i-robot.html
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:29 pmhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=JYfM-frIWlQ&feature=related
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:00 pmMake sure the mechanical component has an off switch…
On the bright side, if they’re part organic they’ll be less likely to use biological or chemical weapons when the Droid Rebellion begins.
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:17 pma clip that my son made while he was still student, it’s a robot ballade through paris
music and pictures are from him
http://www.wideo.fr/video/iLyROoaft28I.html
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:18 pmAfter I saw this the other day, anything is possible.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b25_1196130222
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:32 pmWhoa! I know Kung Fu!
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:54 pm