Our brain produces electric signals that are used to send commands to different body parts. But, if we as individuals can learn to alter or use brain waves or the electric signals for different purposes; would be like a super power just like Professor X from the X-Men.
However scientists at Smithsonian are working on a similar project but on a very small level. The project is called OpenWorm. One can guess by the name of it, they are working with the brain waves of worms. Their main goal is to build a detailed computer programme of Caenorhabditis elegans or C. Elegans – microscopic roundworms. Why in particular these worms biologist say that these worms have a tendency to solve basic problems i.e. hunger, selection of the healthiest partner and survival. And also there is a lot of data available on their nervous system.
Their main goal is to replicate the whole worm as a virtual organism. But limited to research and technology they have only managed to create its brain and they have uploaded that into a Lego robot.
The robot has limited body parts – touch sensors, independent motor drives = left and right wheels, sound sensor and sonar sensor – and the best part about it is that without any commands being installed into the robot C. Elegans brain that was uploaded into the EV3 Lego robot controlled it.
Of course the programme is not as stable as we are thinking it to be, more needs to be done. But the fact that the robot can control its self and process the information before bumping into something and go in backwards direction by simply using a network links via sensors is truly amazing.
Watch the video here:
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Sources:
http://www.openworm.org/getting_started.html#goal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caenorhabditis_elegans
http://i.imgur.com/OG7sOAD.jpg
http://rincondelatecnologia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/makc1cvume4edpzw92ep.jpg
Wow, they made a Roomba. So it’s a program, BASED on a worms brain. Not actual neuro sensors on the actual worm brain? You developed a simple if/then protocol usimg sensors. Congrats, you just wasted your time and your money. Attatch a vacuum and you might have something, hahaha
I made a robot in gr 11 computer engineering class that does the same thing… took about 40mins.
these jagoff kids actually think they are doing something new. lol
You guys are talking about how its just moving and sensing i mean yea thats a big part but its hooked up to the brain making it do that not just the program this means there is possibility for humans to do the same.