The global effort to recreate the behavior of a worm in a machine are leading the way toward artificial intelligence, supporting the possibility to upload human brain to a computer in the future.

Scientists and programmers from around the world collaborated in an open source project, called "Open Worm." They had successfully uploaded software modeled on the neurons of a common roundworm's (Caenorhabditis elegans) nervous system in a small robot made of Lego bricks.

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With the software in place even without pre-programed actions, the robot could behave in the same manner as the C. elegans. It could approach and back away from obstacles and could also be stimulated by food.

Although the project isn't yet completed, it's definitely the first real example of a synthetic biological system of animal simulation via computer. More time is still needed, however, before the robot will start to avoid predators or search for a mate.

Project coordinator Stephen Larson said that the scientists and programmers in the experiment are reluctant to boldly claim how closely the robot resembled biological behavior while the project is still pending for peer review. Nevertheless, the result itself is impressive and certainly exceeded their expectations.

Larson said that his team is confident that they have already connected the correct number of neurons in the same way that C. elegans has as well as in organized the neurons in a manner that some neurons give out information while others receive.

That being said, the team still know that there's a lot that has been left out and that they are still in the 20 to 30 percent of the way to where they need to get.

The ultimate goal of the project is to digitally model the roundworm completely in a virtual environment where it can have an elastic body with stretch muscles, equipping it with the same physics in all its cells.

Meanwhile, the digital version of the Lego robot will be released in the internet in June this year. It will allow anyone with an interest to tinker the robot.

TagsLego Robot, Roundworm mind, aritificial intelligence