Neuroscientists managed to combine in a working network brains of several animals

Neuroscientists from the University Medical Center. Duke представили a new type of interface between the brain and a computer, which allows you to combine multiple brains of living creatures in a computer network. The published studies were described experiments in which the brains of some animals working together to achieve a common goal. For the experiment, scientists electrodes directly implanted in the mammalian brain.

In two separate experiments, the scientists examined the possibility of the so-called Brainet - brain networks by linking them to one of several brains monkeys, and another - of several rats. Animals in both experiments to share sensory information, and jointly manage the motor skills to achieve their goals or to carry out calculations.

In one experiment networked brains of three rhesus monkeys manage virtual hand that I had to grasp a moving object. On hand movements affect brain activity of the animals. Each of the monkeys to control the movement of virtual hands on two axes. In this regard, which is to move a hand to grab the virtual object and they can only if at least two of them are synchronized brain signals.

In the experiment, the monkeys were trained in the management of a virtual arm and eventually successfully arranged under it. Then, in the next stage of the experiment, the monkeys left virtual motion control arms along only one axis. A few days later they learned to work together successfully and with such restrictions.



In another experiment network, which included several brains of rats involved complex calculations . Networks consisting of a group of 3-4 rodent. Rodents in the brain to transmit information and given an award only in case of successful computing. For example, to give information about the temperature and atmospheric pressure, brain network was to calculate the probability of rain. In fact, scientists have created a classically trained neural network, using live brains. In addition to weather forecasts, the neural network involved in pattern recognition, as well as the storage and retrieval of sensory information.



"This was the first demonstration of distributed brain-computer interface (Brain-machine interface, BMI), an idea that in recent decades has shifted from the study of the brain of mammals to the laboratory tests," - says Miguel Nicolelis, MD, Ph.D., deputy director of the Center Neuroengineering University.

These experiments may eventually lead to the creation of organic computers, where the computing power of the brain combined with conventional processors and network technologies. Non-invasive methods of combining the brain can be, for example, to create a network connection between the brains of people.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/253276/