Government Technology - November 2008 - (Page 50) Turning technology inside out NOV_08 j 50 To build Gordon’s brain, up to 100,000 neurons were removed from a rat fetus. The neurons were then bathed in enzymes to separate them from one another. Rat-omaton 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. A It takes more than the suspension to keep the neurons alive. That’s why the scientists house the MEA and neurons in a special temperaturecontrolled unit. At this stage, the university team connected the MEA to a processor and a Bluetooth radio link. Then the neurons could transmit information to Gordon and receive instruction back. http://www.govtech.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - November 2008 Government Technology - November 2008 Contents Point of View On the Scene Big Picture Four Questions for … Forward Thinkers Taking Tech Home Virtual Frontier Hidden Costs Uncovered Seeing Red For the Record In the Loop Benign Dictatorship Home-Field Advantage A Better Way to Park New Tools for Fighting Crime How It Works Spectrum Products Two Cents signal:noise Government Technology - November 2008 Government Technology - November 2008 - Government Technology - November 2008 (Page Cover1) Government Technology - November 2008 - Government Technology - November 2008 (Page Cover2) Government Technology - November 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Government Technology - November 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Government Technology - November 2008 - Contents (Page 5) Government Technology - November 2008 - Point of View (Page 6) Government Technology - November 2008 - Point of View (Page 7) Government Technology - November 2008 - On the Scene (Page 8) Government Technology - November 2008 - On the Scene (Page 9) Government Technology - November 2008 - Big Picture (Page 10) Government Technology - November 2008 - Big Picture (Page 11) Government Technology - November 2008 - Four Questions for … (Page 12) Government Technology - November 2008 - Four Questions for … (Page 13) Government Technology - November 2008 - Forward Thinkers (Page 14) Government Technology - November 2008 - Forward Thinkers (Page 15) Government Technology - November 2008 - Forward Thinkers (Page 16) Government Technology - November 2008 - Forward Thinkers (Page 17) Government Technology - November 2008 - Forward Thinkers (Page 18) Government Technology - November 2008 - Forward Thinkers (Page 19) Government Technology - November 2008 - Taking Tech Home (Page 20) Government Technology - November 2008 - Taking Tech Home (Page 21) Government Technology - November 2008 - Taking Tech Home (Page 22) Government Technology - November 2008 - Taking Tech Home (Page 23) Government Technology - November 2008 - Taking Tech Home (Page 24) Government Technology - November 2008 - Taking Tech Home (Page 25) Government Technology - November 2008 - Virtual Frontier (Page 26) Government Technology - November 2008 - Virtual Frontier (Page 27) Government Technology - November 2008 - Virtual Frontier (Page 28) Government Technology - November 2008 - Virtual Frontier (Page 29) Government Technology - November 2008 - Virtual Frontier (Page 30) Government Technology - November 2008 - Virtual Frontier (Page 31) Government Technology - November 2008 - Hidden Costs Uncovered (Page 32) Government Technology - November 2008 - Hidden Costs Uncovered (Page 33) Government Technology - November 2008 - Seeing Red (Page 34) Government Technology - November 2008 - Seeing Red (Page 35) Government Technology - November 2008 - Seeing Red (Page 36) Government Technology - November 2008 - Seeing Red (Page 37) Government Technology - November 2008 - For the Record (Page 38) Government Technology - November 2008 - For the Record (Page 39) Government Technology - November 2008 - In the Loop (Page 40) Government Technology - November 2008 - In the Loop (Page 41) Government Technology - November 2008 - Benign Dictatorship (Page 42) Government Technology - November 2008 - Benign Dictatorship (Page 43) Government Technology - November 2008 - Home-Field Advantage (Page 44) Government Technology - November 2008 - Home-Field Advantage (Page 45) Government Technology - November 2008 - A Better Way to Park (Page 46) Government Technology - November 2008 - A Better Way to Park (Page 47) Government Technology - November 2008 - New Tools for Fighting Crime (Page 48) Government Technology - November 2008 - New Tools for Fighting Crime (Page 49) Government Technology - November 2008 - How It Works (Page 50) Government Technology - November 2008 - How It Works (Page 51) Government Technology - November 2008 - Spectrum (Page 52) Government Technology - November 2008 - Spectrum (Page 53) Government Technology - November 2008 - Products (Page 54) Government Technology - November 2008 - Products (Page 55) Government Technology - November 2008 - Two Cents (Page 56) Government Technology - November 2008 - Two Cents (Page 57) Government Technology - November 2008 - signal:noise (Page 58) Government Technology - November 2008 - signal:noise (Page Cover3) Government Technology - November 2008 - signal:noise (Page Cover4)
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