Simple circuits can create complex behaviors

(aatishb.com)

75 points | by aatish 4 days ago

9 comments

  • tancop 32 minutes ago
    > If you saw creatures behaving like this in the wild, you might attribute some rudimentary intelligence to them.

    > But we’ve just shown you how this apparent intelligence arises from the bottom up, with just four neurons and two connections. There’s no magic here. In this view, behavior emerges from neural circuits.

    Isn't the conclusion here that very simple behaviors like the sparks are intelligent? I would say even a single neuron has some tiny amount of intelligence, and what the author means by "no magic" and "emergent behavior" is just a different perspective that minimizes it.

    • WarmWash 22 minutes ago
      Intelligence is an arbitrary term humans assign to stuff subjectively.

      Take out the "human" and it's all just algos on a scale of complexity.

      • pkoird 14 minutes ago
        Agreed. Take human out and any system capable of doing an if-else is intelligent to a certain degree.
        • RandomLensman 6 minutes ago
          If basically everything is intelligent (e.g., incl. rather simple chemistry), does that word mean much then/is it a useful term?
  • vatsachak 35 minutes ago
    A similar mechanism is how lactobacillus actually find food even though their motor propels them in random directions.

    They have sensors for the concentration of food and basically stop moving when it's good enough and start when it's low.

  • georgestrakhov 1 hour ago
    Check out Valentino Braitenberg's vehicles. It's one of my favourite books ever.
    • mikeegg1 1 hour ago
      I came here to mention that book.
  • sheepseb 41 minutes ago
    Read this and instantly though about Elmer and Elsie, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_and_Elsie_(robots)
  • TehCorwiz 34 minutes ago
    Growing up I tinkered with BEAM robotics. It's a philosophy of design that begins with these types of very simple reactive circuits usually from scavenged parts. It's nice to see someone break down the effect of different variables in the design.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BEAM_robotics

  • bob1029 1 hour ago
  • thenthenthen 2 hours ago
    Best thing is, you can physically build this with a few discrete analog components! Search terms: light-bot, or light following robot. You can try to create swarms adding a light to the rear end of your robot
  • Borrible 1 hour ago
    [flagged]
  • SadErn 1 hour ago
    [dead]