Robots with human vision on the horizon after scientists crack brain's 'Enigma code'
Robots with human vision on the horizon after scientists
crack brain's 'Enigma code'
The new discovery finally reveals what the two parts of
the brain say to each other when they process images
16:28, 22 APR 2016 UPDATED 18:29, 22 APR 2016
BY JESSICA HAWORTH
Scientists have cracked the brain's 'Enigma code' which
could pave the way to create robots capable of human vision.
The code, compared to the secret Nazi encryption machines
in the Second World War , details exactly what the two regions of the brain
communicate when processing visual images.
Researchers hope the new discovery could lead to creating
bots with the potential for human-like vision.
Until now, scientists have only been able to tell whether
two parts of the brain communicate, not what they are saying.
The new discovery has been compared to the Enigma code,
which was thought impossible until a team of scientists led by Alan Turing
deciphered it.
This information could also enable scientists to
interpret brain activity, creating opportunities to study how the brain changes
with age or disease.
Philippe Schyns, professor of psychology at Glasgow
University's Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, said: "With Enigma, we
knew the Germans were communicating, but we didn't know what they were saying.
"Just like if you're walking down the street and you
see two people talking in the distance: you know they are communicating with
each other, but you don't know what they are saying.
"Communication between brain regions has so far been
like these examples: we know it's happening, but we don't know what it's about.
"Through our research, we have been able to 'break
the code,' so to speak, and therefore glean what two parts of the brain are
saying to each other."
This human-esque vision could be harnessed through using
the research to create machine vision algorithms and the information and
strategies humans use when performing different recognition tasks.
Prof Schyns added: "Through these discoveries, by
knowing how to code and integrate these messages between different parts of the
brain, we could one day give robots the same visual capabilities as
people."
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