A team of Japanese scientists has created a robot with brain-like neural cells to teach it how to think like a human.
Experts at the University of Tokyo have developed neural cells from living cells in the laboratory, and when stimulated by an electric current, this machine can successfully navigate through a small maze.
The robot is placed on a surface with obstacles and moves toward its target.
The research team employed a technique known as “material reservoir computing”, which allows the robot to activate an “information reservoir” to help it understand and solve problems.
Professor Hirokazu Takahashi, a co-author of the study, stated: “The neural cells are developed from living cells. They function as a material reservoir for the computer to build clear signals.”
This is the first time scientists have “taught” artificial intelligence to a robot. If the AI machine goes off course, the neural cells cultivated within it will receive electric pulses. In a series of tests, the robot continuously receives guiding signals until it completes its task.
The round machine created by Takahashi’s team has a diameter of about 8 cm and a height of 5 cm, fitting comfortably in the palm of a hand. The professor indicated that this research project serves as evidence for the concept that brain-like models can be used as material reservoirs. This opens the door to developing machines capable of solving problems by thinking like humans.
The Japanese research team hopes this breakthrough will lead to the creation of a supercomputer that simulates the human brain. It also brings hope for clarifying the mechanisms of brain function and understanding why diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s occur.
