Chinese scientists have created a unique robot that works with a "mini human brain", in an achievement that is the first of its kind.
The robot works using a lab-grown "organic brain," a mass of cells, and a computer chip that interfaces with the brain's nervous system.
It has been described as a "brain on a chip", working like a human brain, using sensors and an AI-based algorithm that prompts the robot to move and avoid obstacles.
Scientists at Tianjin University used stem cells, a type of cell that forms brain tissue in the body, to create the artificial brain. They connected the cells to a computer chip that transmits instructions to the robot's body.
Scientists take the stem cells and culture them for about a month until they form features like neurons.
The team explained that the robot has no eyes, and responds only through electrical and sensory signals sent by neurons. The pink dot above the robot’s shoulders in the images is just a cosmetic representation of what the brain will look like, not the actual tissue that is still being used in prototypes.
“Brain organ transplants are a promising strategy to restore brain function by replacing lost neurons and rebuilding neural circuits,” the study said.
However, the study is still in its early stages, and it is unclear whether brain organoids can be used to repair or rebuild damaged brain tissue.
Magnificent!
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