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Researchers Create Robot Controlled by Cells from Rat Brain

November 4, 2008 By Chad Vander Veen

A team of UK scientists at the University of Reading created a robot with biological brain tissue serving as its central processing unit. The team integrated cultured nerve cells and neurons from a rat's brain into the robot, which it named Gordon.

The neurons are connected to Gordon via what scientists call a multi-electrode array (MEA), which allows electrical impulses to move from the brain matter to the robot via a radio signal and control the machine's movements. To keep the brain tissue alive, it's stored in a temperature-controlled container.

In a university press release, Professor Kevin Warwick at the School of Systems Engineering said, "This new research is tremendously exciting, as firstly, the biological brain controls its own moving robot body and secondly, it will enable us to investigate how the brain learns and memorizes its experiences."

The team hopes Gordon will shed new light on methods to combat diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

See the robot illustration here.

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