Mixing brain cells and nanodots 73
Roland Piquepaille writes "It's not the first time that animal brain cells have been used in conjunction with nanoparticles. But now, a team of Israeli researchers have grown self-organizing networks of rat brain cells by binding them to carbon nanotubes. In a short article, New Scientist reports that these neural networks are remarkably stable, surviving for almost three months in the lab. These hybrid networks could be used in future biological sensors. For example, they could identify a poison by measuring its effect on such a network of brain cells."
Wait, what's this about nanodots? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Wait, what's this about nanodots? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Wait, what's this about nanodots? (Score:5, Informative)
A buckyball is a kind of nanodot. Some micelles could be considered nanodots.
HTH...
Heh (Score:5, Funny)
proc DetectPoison ()
{
global $NeuralActivity;
if($NeuralActivity == 0) return true;
return false;
}
Re:Heh (Score:3, Informative)
proc DetectPoison()
{
global $NeuralActivity;
return $NeuralActivity == 0;
}
There, that's better.
Re:Heh (Score:1)
Re:Heh (Score:2)
(= neural-activity 0))
Re:Heh (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Heh (Score:1)
Wouldn't that be:
proc DetectPoison(NeuralActivity)
{
if(NeuralActivity==0) return true;
return false;
}
I suppose that NeuralActivity would preexist in the softs?
Re:Heh (Score:1)
proc DetectPoison(NeuralActivity)
{
return (NeuralActivity==0);
}
Real programmers use C (Score:2)
int DetectPoison()
{
extern int NeuralActivity;
return !NeuralActivity;
}
Simpler code.
Runs faster.
Re:Heh (Score:2)
Film at 11 (Score:1)
Re:Heh (Score:1)
proc DetectPoison ()
{
global $NeuralActivity;
return ($NeuralActivity == 0);
}
Right?
Re:Heh (Score:2)
The next logical step (Score:4, Funny)
"Mmmm...cheese."
Then it's just a quick leap to remote controlled rats. That would be fun.
They've already got remote controlled rats... (Score:2, Interesting)
Couple this with:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A17434-20 03Oct12?language=printer [washingtonpost.com]
and you get monkeys that can control rats with their mind!
I for one welcome our new monkey overlords and their army of mind controlled rats...
Re:The next logical step (Score:2)
Yes, fun.
Cranium rats. Just what we need.
If there are four or more in one place, they can cast spells, y'know?
Re:The next logical step (Score:1)
Re:The next logical step (Score:2)
Re:The next logical step (Score:2)
Their tails are worth 1 gp apiece.
We can set bounties on them.
At least until Ankh-Morporkians hear of it, invade Planescape and start farming the rats for their tails.
My brain hurts.
Re:The next logical step (Score:1)
The Brain: Are you pondering what I'm pondering??
Re:The next logical step (Score:1)
Re:The next logical step (Score:1)
Re:Ethics (Score:2)
Re:Ethics (Score:2, Insightful)
I know the above link is OT and disturbing (even by my standards), but if the parts of an animal or a human can benefit the rest of the world, then why not use them? It's like nature (or God, if you prefer) handing us a cherished gift and throwing it in the dumpster because we think it disgraces us morally/ethically. What a load of crap. It's just a blob of molecules arranged in a certain way. Get over it.
Uploaded cats are a bad idea. (Score:2)
-- Accelerando [accelerando.org]
Re:Ethics (Score:1)
I'm aware that we already do all kinds of unholy things to animals for research, but this seems different.
It's true that playing with some cells in a dish is different than shoving tubes into an animal's organs and such. Which seems more ethical again?
Re:Ethics (Score:2)
Well, if you're not actually putting them in a framework that, by its very nature, can possibly develop into an actual brain... then, yes, certainly.
Re:Ethics (Score:2)
Re:Ethics (Score:2)
Microdots (Score:3, Funny)
Awesome ! The last batch of Microdots I got only lasted about 7 hours.
They're Pinky and The Brain (Score:3, Funny)
One is a genius
The other's insane.
They're laboratory mice
Their genes have been spliced
They're dinky
They're Pinky and The Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain
Brain, Brain, Brain, Brain
Brain.
Before each night is done
Their plan will be unfurled
By the dawning of the sun
They'll take over the world.
Re:They're Pinky and The Brain (Score:1)
Re:Trippin (Score:1)
Re:Trippin (Score:1)
Re:Trippin (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Trippin (Score:1)
Re:Somewhat related (Score:1)
Mod parent down for blatant plagiarism! (Score:5, Informative)
http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=17190
In fact, just about all the prior comments [slashdot.org] by "janet-on" seem to be verbatim copies of comments made by other people. The trick seems to work rather well, considering that the previous three comments all got modded to a score of 5, and the current comment is now at score 4.
Personally, I'm guessing that "janet-on" is a bot someone made to try to accumulate karma, to allow them to moderate comments.
Re:Mod parent down for blatant plagiarism! (Score:2)
Yeah, either that or a rat brain/nanodot combo made to try to accumulate karma.
Re:Somewhat related (Score:1)
2. Stop plagiarising
3. Personal experience and a heartwarming tale do not make science or ethical norms, although they do make the reddest of herrings
You are mistaken... (Score:2)
from Castle Frankenstein in Germany
Hardware Vs Biological Routes (Score:3, Interesting)
The article says its to "identify a compound" which is achieved by embedding the olfactory/taste/heat etc neurons on chips and monitoring the signals generated. These neurons have special proteins in their membranes to identify the compounds, but this could very easily be extended to AI networks, and opens up alot more possibility.
Robotic control algorithms brached in the 50's-60's into serial control and neurological control. The processing limitations in earlier days inhibited the latter development path, but there have been a number of interesting developments like this one recently showing progression of the neural paths - eg Sony Robodog a few days earlier.
But how does this relate to detecting poison? (Score:1)
Re:But how does this relate to detecting poison? (Score:2)
It's the BORG (Score:2)
reacts to poison? (Score:1)
Celldeath is somtimes a bad mesure. (Score:2)
Consider LSD for example, nontoxic by any standard at typical dosage.
May as well get it over with (Score:2)
Re:May as well get it over with (Score:1)
Don't know about nanodots... (Score:1)
Brain cells and nanodots? Progress marches on. (Score:2)
I once sat next to a guy from my dorm at a movie; there was a scene where a couple was sitting at a table and the woman was laughing.
"Oh, wow!" said my friend, "look how her teeth are spinning around. Like a chainsaw or something."
"What are you talking about?" I whispered.
"Her teeth are spinning around!"
"No they aren't," I replied. "Are you OK?"
"Oh, don't worry," he replied,"somebody must've salt
Welcome (Score:1)
I'll always be a hominid at heart (Score:2)