Toward autonomous marine biobots by direct brain stimulation:the ultimate conjunction of artificial intelligence and brain sciences
Abstract
Constructing autonomous physical agents (robots) is a challenging engineering task, especially if they need to act in (possibly hostile) natural environments based on programable task specifications, while maintaining high level of durability, survivability, and energy independence for prolonged times. Our proposed project suggests addressing this challenge with autonomous biobots, namely biological robots whose behavior is fully programmable and controlled by artificial intelligence and sensors. Biobots, as a general concept, rely on the possibility to control animal behavior externally with direct brain stimulation either to motor areas, sensory areas, behavior modulation areas, or the brain#s reward center. Orchestrating such stimulations properly may theoretically achieve any physical behavior, thus allowing to exploit the #engineering# provided by nature (namely, articulated self-propelled biological bodies) for robots that are more efficient than classical mechanical platforms. By selecting the right animals, biobots can be optimallyadapted to the environment at hand. Furthermore, research into biobots and direct ways of controlling behavior can lead to fundamental scientific understanding of brain function.The goal of this proposal is to develop an aquatic biobot that is based on fish and can exercise desired locomotion in the aquatic environment while performing programmable tasks (as opposed to its natural behavior). Our pilot biobot will be based on goldfish, a fish species with many practical advantages for such research. The fish will be equipped with computational systems mounted on its head to read and process information from tiny sensors (e.g., a camera), make behavioral decisions using on-board AI decision-making software, and implement these behaviors using direct brain stimulation to selected areas in the goldfish brain. Our initial plan is to exploit the reward centers in the fish brain to manipulate its behavior, though other forms of neural stimulations and behavioral manipulations will be explored as well already in this project.Success in the proposed research will not only manifest itself as an operational biobot platform, with corresponding interface tools (e.g., API) and publications in journals and conferences, but will also lead the way to a new technology and numerous applications in search and rescue, reconnaissance, resource exploration, and environmental or scientific tasks (Vuki# & Mi#kovi#, 2016) in marine setups, hence the direct relevance to the ONR. The extended utility to other DoD and scientific agencies is easy to conceive.The team will bring togetherthe expertise in robotics, computer vision, and artificial intelligence of the Ben-Shahar lab together with expertise in fish neurobiology of the Segev lab, and long experience in behavioral sciences and neuroethology of both labs. This interdisciplinary team hascollaborated on many aspects of neurobiology in the past and its synergized expertise is key for the success of this proposed research program. Proposed period of project # 3 years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 08, 2024
- Source ID
- N629092412015
Entities
People
- Ohad Ben-shahar
Organizations
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy