Robo Rat
What happens when science mixes rodent brain cells and state of the art robotics? The result is Gordon, a mix of machinery and organic matter melded together from cultured rat neurons. Born at the University of Reading, scientists hope to use Gordon as a vehicle to explore the basis of biological learning and memory. Remarkably, the robot is not controlled by a human or mechanical interface. “Within about 24 hours, they (neurons) start sending out feelers to each other and making connections,” said Kevin Warwick a professor at the University of Reading and one of Gordon’s fathers. Due to ethical reasons, the university will not hold any experiments with human brain cells, yet the differences between the two are merely seen as “quantity over quality.”
Of course, there are many other ethical issues that this research brings up.
"Robo Rat" by Troy Dalsimen
Tweet- 8-20-08
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Ethics aside
"explore the basis of biological learning and memory."
The basis of biological learning and memory? All this time I thought it was as simple as: "What is the most efficent way to gather and utilize energy." Is there more to it really? Exploring efficency is all fine and dandy but utilizing a machine in exploring efficency seems contradictory to the act. Over complicating an act only leads to more confusion... No?