Research (Entry 16)
The Brain That Changes Itself
By Norman Doidge, M.D.
The Brain That Changes Itself was written by a doctor to explain why some patients who have brain injuries such as a stroke, can get better even after brain damage. He writes about experiments that prove that the brain is “plastic” and when one part of it is injured, another part can take over the work that it was doing, if it is trained. By using simple things like mirrors (to trick the brain of an amputee into thinking he is using his missing hand) or small devices, or just by following simple exercises, injured people can overcome their disabilities. Over-all, The Brain is about “Neuroplasticity”.
Neuroplasticity is a theorem that the brain does not work like a very complex machine. If it were a machine, then it could not adapt to new inputs, or new situations. I don’t mean “machine” as in “metallic system of gears and cogs.” I mean machine as something that doesn’t change because it always works according to a specific set of rules, which do not change – much like a microchip.
Some of the medical studies that Dr. Doidge wrote about are not dissimilar to my microphone-motor glove, although they didn’t deal with cochlear implants or use vibrating motors. An example is that a patient who had no sense of balance, learned to sense gravity with a small device implanted in her tongue.
The Brain That Changes Itself influenced my project because it taught me that humans can adjust to new inputs. I believe that if someone were to wear my gloves for awhile, their brain will adjust so that they won’t have to stop and think and then logically figure out where the sound is originating. The glove would become part of their sensory system.
Vehicles: an Experiment in Synthetic Psychology
By Valentino Braitenberg.
Vehicles is a small book written on artificial intelligence. Each chapter covers a “vehicle”, a robot of unstated size that works on a simple wiring system of sensors and motors. The vehicles get more and more complex as the book goes on, with more lifelike operations.
An example of one of the simpler vehicles is Chapter 2: Fear and Aggression. Imagine a small square, with two sensors in front and two wheels on the side. If the sensors are connected to the corresponding motor on the same side of the chassis, then when Sensor A is stimulated, (and Sensor B is stimulated, but less so,) the vehicle will turn away from the stimulus with a speed proportional to the proximity of the stimulus. This represents fear.
Fear you say? But robots can’t have fear! Well, no; that’s correct. But this is artificial intelligence, so the fear is artificial likewise. The above example of fear can be represented with two characters: Wimp and Bully, in the playground. (This is my analogy, not Braitenberg’s.) If Wimp spots Bully on the other side of the playground, he won’t be too worried, but will modify his path to navigate away from Bully. If Wimp turns around, and sees Bully right behind him, Wimp will run as fast as his unspecified size of feet will carry him.
Similarly, aggression can be simulated by wiring the sensors the other way, so that they are connected to motors on the opposite side of the chassis. The vehicle will turn towards the stimulus, with a speed proportionate to the proximity of the stimulus. This could represent “charging”.
Many vehicles can be represented, with multiple sensors, and inverse relationships. But perhaps you can see where I’m going with multiple sensors? The human brain can compare the vibration between my gloves, which act as “sensors”. Legs will act as motors, and the brain is the wiring, or “microchip” for more complex vehicles. My gloves, with microphones, can be used in comparison to determine the distance/magnitude as well as the direction of sound!
You may want to view the next stage of my project: engineering!