Chinese artificial brain project

China brain project is scheduled to complete this year

The China brain project is a 4 year research project (2008-2011) to build China’s first artificial brain. It takes an “evolutionary engineering” approach, by evolving 10,000s of neural net modules, (or “agents” in the sense of Minsky’s “Society of Mind” [Minsky 1988, 2007]), and connecting them to make artificial brains.
These modules are evolved rapidly in seconds on a “Tesla” PC Supercomputer, and connected according to the artificial brain designs of human “BAs” (Brain Architects).

The artificial brain will eventually contain thousands of pattern recognizer modules, and hundreds of decision modules that when suitably combined will control the hundreds of behaviors of a walking, talking robot.

Nextbigfuture article (with video)


Using neural networks coupled with evolutionary algorithms is basicaly how nature constructed our brains. I believe that emulating this process is our best chance to create artificial minds.
The implication of this research, if succesful, are enormous, both positive and potentialy negative.

Humanity will finally succeed in making itself obsolete..

p.s.: Tesla supercomputers are based on nvidia chips primarily developed for graphically intensive computer games.

Bring on the super-computers!
Bring on the humanoid robots!

And bring on our antigravity / hyperspace colonizing starships!

Sorry but teslas are so yesterday It's all graphene and optic chips baby!!

Very cool post btw! Thanks

I am noticing that the asians are heavily investing in thinking and lifelike robotics. I see what the new boom is in a decade or two, and unfortunately the west won't be part of that beyond consumers and salesmen unless we get serious.

I see a space program of sorts going on, and not a single flag of the US or UK is nearby.

I am excited about the tech, I just wish we would be more involved than on the sidelines.

So, when this is fully developed, at what point do we call it life, worthy of having some rights?

reply to post by SaturnFX


It is pretty interesting stuff I have to say.

But all I can think about is the Terminator movies

I am sure they would use the robots in space like you said too.

The human race should work on our "rights" as beings, because it looks bad for us.

And machines don't get "rights." They should be programmed with certain things it can not bypass, but it is a learning computer, so sooner or later it might end up like Terminator.

Though it could be limited to where it is just a brain in a room with no moving parts, but wheres the fun in that?

Originally posted by Quickfix
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

It is pretty interesting stuff I have to say.

But all I can think about is the Terminator movies

I am sure they would use the robots in space like you said too.

The human race should work on our "rights" as beings, because it looks bad for us.

And machines don't get "rights." They should be programmed with certain things it can not bypass, but it is a learning computer, so sooner or later it might end up like Terminator.

Though it could be limited to where it is just a brain in a room with no moving parts, but wheres the fun in that?

edit on 11-1-2011 by Quickfix because: For spelling

Why is it whenever someone starts discussing robotics, people immediately start thinking of the absolute worst case senarios, such as terminator, battlestar galactica, or dune...

Any robot created would be created with code and vunerabilities..if anything truely did go disasterously bad, stoppiing it would be as simple as giving a shut off command and voila, done.

I didn't mean robots in space...I meant a space program..aka, a massive program akin to the 1960s where competing nations (or companies) spent tons of resources to outdo the other and be the first one to create the perfect household robot. I am excited about that bit.

And I do see a day when synthetic organisms get rights, but it may be more cyborg than full robot...aka, when we start moving our brains into a robotic body...(think BSG skinjobs). I think the work on neural networks will not only advance the computer field, but may give a massive boost to integration between biological and mechanical overall with the results.

Human 2.0 here we come

(made in china...)

reply to post by SaturnFX


The reason why people go to the bad is because it is always a possibility. And one that should be kept in mind. I know about that switch you are talking about, but being AI it could find a way around it. If you had a kill switch, wouldn't you try to get rid of it? I know I would.

And I know what you mean about the space program. Being able to send a smart Bot into space has its implications. Like it not being able to age is great, so generations can see what is has to offer when this generation and the next generation dies off.

And I would like better rights for humans rather then robots/cyborgs first, you can see why I say it by just browsing ATS for a few minutes. Plus cyborgs would likely only use mechanical limbs, but all I can say to that is Stem Cell Research.

Though the computing power of a second brain for a human would be quite nice IMHO.

And that whole cyborg thing reminds me of a movie I saw called "Surrogates" or something like that. I recommend you watch it. It is very interesting, it has Bruce Willis in it and is about humans connecting to synthetic androids and controlling them.

Originally posted by Quickfix
And that whole cyborg thing reminds me of a movie I saw called "Surrogates" or something like that. I recommend you watch it. It is very interesting, it has Bruce Willis in it and is about humans connecting to synthetic androids and controlling them.

Seen it, it was interesting. using robots to move around for almost everything because actually walking around yourself is dangerous..

I do see something similar to that happening overall..not exactly like its done there however...more like we would be simply a brain in a jar in some bombproof bunker living half in virtual reality, and the other half wandering around via remote control synths. This makes sense to me and given a couple hundred years, the concept of a biological human may seem strange and risky to the individual, meanwhile, the brain itself (in the box) will potentially live for hundreds upon hundreds of years or more considering there is no need to run a massive bio system to keep it alive, just some connections.

What we are seeing is a egg becoming fertilized that in time will develop into a array of wonderful options.

reply to post by SaturnFX


Yeah I found it to be a decent movie. I can see how it would be fun and entertaining at first, but after a while I might get sick of it or just get bored.

The feeling of controlling a robot body might not be the same as a regular human body, there could be subtle differences, no differences, or massive differences. There is a lot of nerves to be considered and the removal of a brain and keeping it alive is a whole different project all together.

It sure is a ways away that is one thing for sure. Being stronger, faster, and overall better in every way would be nice, but there is always a possibility of madmen destroying the androids and then we are all stuck as brains in jars. And that might as well leave us in a vegetable state, or hacking into androids to control them via another remote.

OR Brain transplanting from one human body to another human body, grown from your own DNA of course, but then a whole other topic comes in whether or not the human consciousness is in the human brain at all.

Then there are Near death experiences in operating rooms where people have heard conversations from the doctors after being clinically dead for a few minutes.

Though I would like to keep my human body as well. Sure is an interesting thing to talk about, at least for me it is.

All possibilities must be considered in that scenario. It could also turn out completely opposite and turn the whole human life around to be better then ever before.

I sure love speculation

bring on the Cylon generation!
well it does sound like that