Brain In A Dish Could Fly A Plane

A University of Florida scientist has grown a living "brain" that can fly a simulated plane, giving scientists a novel way to observe how brain cells function as a network.

What is really inside our CPU's, eh? Seeing laptops on Halloween discount? Is this for real? Man is my ego bust, don't tell the ladies that now PILOTS CAN BE REPLACED BY A FEW RAT CELLS! Does this mean life evolved from the decaying remains of a crashed saucer pilot? Where is this going, Igor?!

Originally posted by Chakotay
A University of Florida scientist has grown a living "brain" that can fly a simulated plane, giving scientists a novel way to observe how brain cells function as a network.

What is really inside our CPU's, eh? Seeing laptops on Halloween discount? Is this for real? Man is my ego bust, don't tell the ladies that now PILOTS CAN BE REPLACED BY A FEW RAT CELLS! Does this mean life evolved from the decaying remains of a crashed saucer pilot? Where is this going, Igor?!

This is probably the most bizarre news i've read on ATS. Someone please debunk this.

Wow, that is umm something.

I'll tell you though, if I ever see a rat brain on a dish flying an airliner I'm about to get on, I'm taking the train for the rest of my life!

I actually worked on a project with this guy. We basically had to cut him out of the grant because what he is doing is not yet viable. It looks good on paper but...

The rat brain cells do not stabilize and guide an airplane by themselves. We were developing a UAV for the AF and used vision-based feed back via onboard video and image processing in conjunction with GPS to get it where it was going, not a petri dish with rat brain cells.

It does have promise, and the guy has some very impressive presentations.

So where this is going is: the human as pilot is cliche', passe', obsolete. The 1950's science fiction stories had it right: a sufficiently advanced technology will appear as a saucer full of goo. "Able to take 5,000 G's and never asks for a raise". Is silicon AI passe' too? Will goo triumph?

So where this is going is: the human as pilot is cliche', passe', obsolete. The 1950's science fiction stories had it right: a sufficiently advanced technology will appear as a saucer full of goo. "Able to take 5,000 G's and never asks for a raise". Is silicon AI passe' too? Will goo triumph? :barf

Yes, the pilot is on his way out of the picture.

I work on an unrelated (to AI) project with a guy who does AI, and maybe I will pick his brain al ittle on the matter. In my mind's eye, anything on a computer is limited by the fact it has a piece of software backing it up. Well, decision making can only go so far as guided by lines of code. Neural networks is a control theory in which the controller is 'trained'. It is biologicaly inspired, and I guess 'the rat brain guy', as we refered to him, is reversing the process (??). Maybe this is the future of AI.

The running joke was we wondered why he did not use bat brains, since they are similar to rats and already know how to fly!

whoa...I don't have anything to contribute except...whoa...

MAN I HIGHLY DOUBHT THIS IS TRUE...... THERE IS NO WAY A FEW CELLS OR A LAB GROWN BRAIN COULD POSSIBLY FLY AROUND AN AIRPLANE..... I THINK IS IS PATHETIC AND UNPROVEN

Pathetic is a little strong, but correlates well to the ALL CAP POST LOL!

link

rat brain guy

excerpt:

"The neurons analyze and process the data, sending signals back to the plane's control surfaces. The challenge is to determine an algorithm to translate these signals in such a way that it produces stable and level flight."


And as much as I have poked fun at the guy during this project...

You see he actually does have the brain cells interfacing with a computer to create a closed loop control system, but the remainder of the problem is yet to be solved. If anyone would like to give this gentlemen some insight as to what a neuronal level -> serial port translation would be like, I am sure he would like to hear from you. I am sure firewire or USB would work, too. Otherwise he will quietly go about his research whilst people scoff, just has been the case prior to most ground breaking discoveries...

I think, mr_sheldon, that if you're going to post something, at least post something worth reading.

[edit on 10/24/04 by diehard_democrat]

Originally posted by portfreezer
THERE IS NO WAY A FEW CELLS OR A LAB GROWN BRAIN COULD POSSIBLY FLY AROUND AN AIRPLANE...

Well, having slept on this one, I have to say a mosquito has a very small brain, and it flies better than I do. Guided missiles are flown by grains of sand in the form of microproccesors. Wasn't there an old John Travolta scientology/scifi movie where he called the human pilots 'rat brains'? Makes you wonder who knew what when (self-fulfilling prophecy?). Were neurons designed at some remote time to interface with electronics, or is it an evolutionary co-incidence this works? On the bright side, even though humans may not be the last word in piloting, I still think we are a pretty good fit for the definition of von Neumann probe, and we should be onboard spacecraft, not watching them from some armchair.

DeMarse�s array of 25,000 interconnected neurons were able to convert signals that indicated whether the simulated plane is experiencing stable conditions or hurricanes into a measurement of whether the plane is flying straight or tilted and then correct the flight path by transmitting signals to the airplane�s controls. Link

Rat brain cells running a virtual plane, wow!. It is interesting to see how scientists are using biological systems in electronics. I am amazed to see how it works out so well.

But until now, no one had written algorithms that harnessed neuronal responses to fly a plane. The ultimate aim is to put arrays of neurons into unmanned planes - or other dangerous situations - where only living brain cells can be relied upon to make the right decisions.

Using this technology in unmanned missions is indeed a very good idea.

Yes, but who is brain VOTING FOR?

Originally posted by The Astral City
Wow, that is umm something.

I'll tell you though, if I ever see a rat brain on a dish flying an airliner I'm about to get on, I'm taking the train for the rest of my life!

what if the train were driven by rat brains too? and cars and buses and... your legs?

anyways i think it would be a splendid idea just as long as it doesnt crash

there's another discussion on this also....very interesting stuff

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Here it comes folks. I don't think it was the intent to actually fly the plane. I think this is a break in what I've been waiting to see develope, bio-based processors, sensors, CPUs. This could be the first step towards self regenerating computer parts and the like. No?

[edit on 25-10-2004 by Der Kapitan]

self regenerating computers eh? i can already see the exploits in that

a contracted terminator hitman lets say? it can regenerate like a human but controlled by a remote control

Hmm...

I'm an airline pilot. Any chance I can get me one of those "rat brains" to fly my trip next week? I could use the time off.

Originally posted by AeroSpace Case
I actually worked on a project with this guy. We basically had to cut him out of the grant because what he is doing is not yet viable. It looks good on paper but...

The rat brain cells do not stabilize and guide an airplane by themselves. We were developing a UAV for the AF and used vision-based feed back via onboard video and image processing in conjunction with GPS to get it where it was going, not a petri dish with rat brain cells.

It does have promise, and the guy has some very impressive presentations.

It works now...

Hold onto your hat dorthy - rat brain flies flight simulator

Welcome to the world of man meets machine and man is found lacking.

Very scary indeed.

Wow...this is real interesting.
I love science, love technology, and when you combine both - yeah baby!

Seriously though, this is amazing, and while it probably needs years to perfect, at least there is a start. Great post!