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Katashi_itto

(10,175 posts) Wed Dec 17, 2014, 07:35 AM Dec 2014

Scientists Put A Worm's Mind Into A Robot's Body

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Beneath the skin of a simple worm with transparent skin, there are 302 neurons that have been mapped meticulously by researchers in what is known as a connectome. This tiny, one millimeter-long worm has been studied in laboratories around the world, and now it's nervous system has been transplanted into the body of a Lego Mindstorms EV3 robot. The worm they used is Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans).

Why? According to OpenWorm—an organization dedicated to creating the world’s first virtual organism in a computer—to understand the human brain, we must first be able to comprehend a simple worm. To do so, their scientists essentially reverse-engineered the worm’s neural networks using sensors and software. The model makes use of UDP packets to fire neurons. For example, the sonar sensor on the robot is wired to be like the worm’s nose, which means if the robot comes within 20 centimeters of an object, sensory neurons are activated with UDP packets.

Apparently, the robot acts a lot like C. elegans: Stimulation of its nose made it stop moving, while touching a food sensor made it move forward. “What we found is that rather than just random, crazy movements by the robot, it actually responded to its environment in the same manner as the biological worm,” said Timothy Busbice, one of the founders of the OpenWorm project, to Gizmodo.

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/worms-mind-robot-body

39 replies

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Highlight:

Scientists Put A Worm's Mind Into A Robot's Body (Original Post) Katashi_itto Dec 2014 OP

the cyborgs are coming. hobbit709 Dec 2014 #1

Soon we'll have our immortal 1%ers! Blue_Adept Dec 2014 #4

Not cyborg. A digital copy of a worm-brain. A worm-android. DetlefK Dec 2014 #10

The first cylon. (n/t) thesquanderer Dec 2014 #18

cool! eShirl Dec 2014 #2

A good approach. bemildred Dec 2014 #3

What evil destructive way SamKnause Dec 2014 #5

Yep, my first thought too. Research often goes eventually toward destruction and hostilities led RKP5637 Dec 2014 #16

And the result will be running for Congress in a few years. djean111 Dec 2014 #6

They cloned Cheney? nt Are_grits_groceries Dec 2014 #7

They merged a freeper and robot.. Jesus Malverde Dec 2014 #8

It's probably just a fluke Orrex Dec 2014 #9

Yeah, I saw what you did up there, so don't try and deny it =) Volaris Dec 2014 #12

Don't fall for it. He's just trying to bait us. nt pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #14

He'll probably just wriggle away if we confront him. n/t trotsky Dec 2014 #19

That would make a good Nature segment. nt pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #20

Like a master. Orrex Dec 2014 #23

... pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #24

But it's not kelpless. kentauros Dec 2014 #21

Heheheheheh.... Iggo Dec 2014 #30

You're grounded. (nt) Posteritatis Dec 2014 #34

Let me know when you can catch a fish with it pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #11

And here we thought he was just getting a heart transplant. nt Buns_of_Fire Dec 2014 #13

Creating artificial politicians? mmonk Dec 2014 #15

That's redundant. nt pinboy3niner Dec 2014 #17

Yep. mmonk Dec 2014 #25

Wasn't that already done with Ted Cruz? n/t Bonhomme Richard Dec 2014 #22

I see we are on the same wave link. INdemo Dec 2014 #27

Ok so now you are INdemo Dec 2014 #26

Great! That's how it all starts. Next thing you know. We have cyborgs running around Guy Whitey Corngood Dec 2014 #28

Hail! Newest Reality Dec 2014 #29

Evoked Image Newest Reality Dec 2014 #32

Uh oh ... will spiny lobsters be next ? eppur_se_muova Dec 2014 #31

:) Katashi_itto Dec 2014 #33

That's awesome. n/t lumberjack_jeff Dec 2014 #35

c. elegans is neat Posteritatis Dec 2014 #36

AKA Ted Cruz. AtomicKitten Dec 2014 #37

Already been done. Octafish Dec 2014 #38

In a related story, the robot said that God told him.. KinMd Dec 2014 #39

hobbit709

(41,694 posts)

1. the cyborgs are coming.