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Scientists from the Institute of Biomedical Neuroscience (BNI) of the University of Chile are working on an in vitro neuron culture project, with the aim of building a cyborg to combat neurodegenerative diseases such as than Parkinson's disease.
The survey, in which three BNI laboratories are working, has been successful in developing neuronal cultures that, thanks to electrodes, can direct the movements of a vehicle in a virtual environment, explained Dr. Rodrigo. Vergara, who directs the research.
Neural cultures, he described, are a circuit in which neurons are immersed in a liquid located on an electrode grid, itself connected to a virtual environment housed in a computer.
"The main challenge of the project is to develop this We call this a behavioral protocol in vitro, which means that these behaviors are not contained by a living being, but are sown in culture.Neural neurons connected to a mechanical device " Rodrigo Vergara, leader of the research
In this area, the cells are able to control a trolley by stimulating the electrodes, learning to avoid blows against obstacles,
It is advisable to note that the cybernetic mixture of cybernetic elements with neural networks is defined as the only living organism.
"The main challenge of the project is to develop what we call an in vitro protocol of behavior, which means that these behaviors are not contained by a living being, but are planted in neuronal cultures connected to a mechanical device" said Rodrigo Vergara.
The above means "literally build a cyborg to generate behaviors, lending to neurons are a body for a displacement," he said.
He added that, unlike artificial intelligence, where no living tissue is involved and where a computer learns a protocol, the cyborg represents the interaction between a living tissue. Thus, the particular implications of this research are related to "the applied use of the brain-machine interface and its transfer to studies on the search for therapies for neurodegenerative diseases" ", he explained. mammals can have spontaneous activity and thanks to this, when they are placed in a culture, apart from a living organism and with ect through electrodes with a vehicle in a virtual environment, can generate a displacement
The car has a motion sensor that provides information to the neurons, allowing that when they are stimulated by the electrodes, the culture molds drive the mobile phone, avoiding that.
BNI studies are supported by researchers from the Universities of Columbia, Edinburgh, and the Imperial College of London, who collaborate in areas such as timulation, neural behavior and high mathematics. complexity.
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