Fruit fly brain connectome drives an eBay Vector robot with 166,700 simulated neurons

sull · x · 2026-09-19

A developer repurposed a used Anki Vector desk robot bought on eBay into a hybrid autonomous agent:

Fly brain: the MaleCNS project supplies a reconstructed fruit fly nervous system with 166,700 simulated neurons and 25.6 million connections, handling decisions
Vision: GPT-6 Astra sees the room through Vector's camera — furniture, walls, doors, objects — and converts the scene into sensory signals
Division of labor: "Astra sees, the fly brain decides, Vector moves" — no joystick, no preset routes, no manual control

The robot now roams the apartment on its own, stopping in front of furniture, changing direction, and reacting to obstacles.

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