Boffins place living creature under control of brain chip Boffins at Tel Aviv University have successfully implanted an artificial cerebellum into the skull of a rat with brain damage and restored its ability to move. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that coordinates movements and it has a relatively straightforward neuronal architecture, which is why the researchers chose it …
If rats can be house trained and a small team able to make and bring a cup of tea then cheaper on upkeep than monkey butlers.
Now if the implanted ones can also persuade the rest to visit the National Institute of Mental Health we may solve finally the rodent problem. Of course it's Asia they are more a problem eating up to 1/3rd rice crop. Maybe the Asians need more snakes rather than Robo-Rats.
Here we have a completely heart-warming story about how brain-damaged rats all round the world can finally look forward to some kind of medical treatment to help them in their tragic situation, and instead of focussing on how wonderful it will be for them to be able to resume a meaningful role in society and how happy this will make their families, all you can think of is monkey butlers? For shame, ElReg, for shame!
This seems a little mean to the poor rat and his colleagues - most of whom were probably permanently disabled in trials. I suppose it is acceptable given the goal of reversing certain types of human disability though..
But given it's origin I expect we are more likely to see remotely-controlled rat robo-soldiers being used to wipe out palestinians, before the technology gets used for anything more humane.
This might be a solid step towards meaningful spinal repair, improvements to certain types of alzheimers and parkinsons, and a prospect of some sort of future for ALS patients.
I'd much rather less invasive drug/gene/stem cell approaches, but this could be here _soon_.
Turn the clock forward twenty or thirty years, what are we going to choose, an implant that we know is second rate, or waiting ten years for a better biological solution?
Impressive work.
(And not from Kevin Warwick? Shurely Shome MIshtake!)
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