A ROBOT controlled by human brain cells could soon be trundling around a British lab, New Scientist has learned.
and at the University of Reading, UK, have already used rat brain cells to control a robot (New Scientist, 16 August 2008, p 22). This has enabled them to investigate the way groups of neurons behave, and they hope their research will shed light on neurological conditions such as Alzheimer鈥檚.
However, human brain cells are a better model for studying human neurological disease. So the team plan to switch to a culture of human neurons once their current work with rats is completed. It will be the first instance of human cells being used to control a robot.
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One aim is to investigate any differences between the behaviour of robots controlled by rat and human neurons. 鈥淲e鈥檒l be trying to find out if the learning aspects and memory appear to be similar,鈥� says Warwick.
The team can proceed as soon as they are ready as they won鈥檛 need specific ethical approval to use a human neuron cell line. That鈥檚 because the cultures are available to buy and 鈥渢he ethical side of sourcing is done by the company from whom they are purchased鈥�, Whalley says.
