Rat's brain powers robot

Comments

• IN the early 70s I spent a term as a fellow commoner at Churchill College, Cambridge. I suggested to two scientists that they should harness the brain of a mouse to a computer. They tried not to look at me as if I was mad. What has changed since then to make it possible for little grey cells to be brought in to the game? I am an artist so please, answers in simple language Posted by Barrie Hesketh, uk
• I'm a born again heathen, a heretic and a sinner, and yet somehow, I find this deeply disturbing and offensive.
  
  The term 'monstrous' is lingering. I'm a man of Science...and yet..this somehow crosses some invisible threshold.
  
  What exactly is the point of this when existing electronics can do this far better, and learning would be far faster.
  
  I'm somehow sickened by this.....
  
  And Oh...the irony! Below, to make sure yopu are a computer bot, it asks:
  "Are you human".
  
  I believe that's my question to you. Posted by s saines, canada
• @barrie
  
  simple language: the key differences are 2 fold. 1) we understand more about how the grey matter works. this isn't my area of expertise, so i won't assert more than that - but clearly we have learned a lot about neurons on the last 30 years. 2) [and this part IS my expertise] the physical components of a computer are a) smaller, and b) able to function on a broader range of electrical sources (low voltage, low current devices can now be wired up to the brain without nearly the difficulty in preventing damage to those cells).
  
  simple language: smaller, faster and lower power computer parts are finally at or near the same levels of the electrical pulses used by the brain itself. Posted by jared eldredge, USA