Scientists Build a Simple Gel 'Brain' That Learns How to Play Pong Better

https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-build-a-simple-gel-brain-that-learns-how-to-play-pong-better

42 23 2 years ago

keepamovin4• 2 years ago

Like the early days of semiconductor applications, now they're finding new substrates can do the primitive operations required for a neural network. Interesting it's called a "gel brain", as that syncs with a story from supposed "secret space program" insider who says they have banks of "gel packs" that neurally control advanced drones.

mftrhu2• 2 years ago

Inspired by Star Trek, no doubt.

keepamovin4• 2 years ago

Do they have that in there?

api• 2 years ago

The “secret space program” conspiritainment genre is baked by basically putting all sci-fi from the past 100 years in a blender with a bunch of DARPA press releases and hitting puree. Then they probably binge watch Stargate SG-1 and riff on it in between bong hits.

keepamovin4• 2 years ago

Yeah pretty creative stuff, eh? I think it’s bullshit that we have those capabilities right now. Insiders are just disinformation agents or creative fiction writers extending to performance art haha. But, some of the things they’ve said have been proven out: extensive lava tubes on the moon, broad strokes about an NHI cosmology and Earth’s place in it, archaeology under the ice in Antarctica. And now this gel pack brain thing.

I’m aware of all their narratives, think they’re bullshit, but look out for places they align and where maybe I’m wrong. Open minded approach hahaha :)

I would love for that stuff to be true tho - limited version of a Star Trek future. But sadly, I highly doubt any of their SSP claims are, tho. Gets you wondering tho: could they’re really have been a jump gate elevator to Mars at 999 Sepulveda Blvd?

conspiritainment - ha! Btw nice coinage.

poikroequ3• 2 years ago

There's one aspect I don't understand of how the gel "learns" . What are the factors for positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement? How does the gel "know" what is a good result and what is a bad result?

BaculumMeumEst4• 2 years ago

I would encourage you to download the linked paper and run it thru Claude. I would post results of doing so but that is not allowed here.

hasbot• 2 years ago

I've never used Claude only ChatGPT. What does running a paper through Claude do?

poikroequ3• 2 years ago

So it can hallucinate some bullshit? No thanks.

outlace• 2 years ago

It looks like the gel “learns” to get better at the game because if it correctly positions the Pong paddle over time then the dynamics of stimulation become predictable rather than random. since the system tries to naturally minimize its free energy, it will eventually start to model the ball dynamics enough to better control the paddle, all making the input dynamics more predictable and thus minimizing the energy of the system.

amelius• 2 years ago

making the input dynamics more predictable and thus minimizing the energy of the system.

How does this follow?

scilaaverkie2• 2 years ago

Love this point. Willingness to spend less energy = need to find predictable patterns

nis0s• 2 years ago

How cool! But is the gel really learning, or does it just have some type of material elasticity such that it helps with playing the game? One way to find out is to change the game mid-play when the gel starts getting better at play. Organisms which actually learn will respond by changing their behavior to the new set of rules. The time it takes to adapt to the new set of rules should also be noted because learned responses, or muscle memory, is faster.

smusamashah• 2 years ago

Calling that pong is a stretch. It's 2x3 pixels wide pong if you insist.

ay• 2 years ago

(Deleted my initial messages since I didn’t realize retelling Claude is not okay :-)

Thus I will just summarize my initial hunch based on watching the video which wasn’t refuted by the upload of paper and asking about it:

proximity of the sensing and actuating electrodes.

In a nutshell, a gooey and sludgy demonstration of Kirchhoff's circuit laws.

scilaaverkie2• 2 years ago

Super cool, go biocomputers! I'm now reading a book called 'Networkologies', the author comes up with a theory that life and, later, consciousness emerge when network self-organise themselves in more and more complex structures under certain circumstances. Who knows, maybe this gel has these properties and evolves into some genius goo in the future.

Scientists Build a Simple Gel 'Brain' That Learns How to Play Pong Better

Related Stories