The open source project recently had its first major breakthrough when its softwaremodeled on the neurons of the worm’s nervous systemindependently controlled a Lego robot.
The machine’s sensors, without any prior programming, made the robot behave in a similar fashion to C. elegans, approaching and backing away from obstacles or stimulated by food.
While the developers say it will be some time before the Lego bot will be avoiding predators or searching for a mate, scientists say the project shows that artificial intelligence, or AI as it is known, is coming out of the realm of science fiction.
“We’ve been working on it for four years and while we have a lot more to achieve it’s been the most surprising project I’ve been involved in,” project coordinator Stephen Larson told CNN. “It’s certainly exceeded my expectations.”
–
Read more from Make, Create, Innovate:
Digital nose on a chip can sniff out cancer
Meet the world’s first 1,000 mph car
Out of juice? Try a cardboard battery
