Dead fruit fly brain (166,700 neurons) drives a robot body that follows flies
GregCook2011 · x · 2026-09-20
A widely shared thread describes researchers uploading a fruit fly brain—166,700 neurons and over 25 million biological connections—into a robotic body closely mimicking the original animal.
The lab gave the neurons cameras, wings, and motors, then let the system figure out what the signals meant without hand-writing flight behavior. Results: the head turns when a light moves, wings correct when airflow changes, and the robot starts following another fly crossing the camera. The poster marvels at how little machinery the brain needs before old instincts become useful again, calling it stage 10 on the way to simulation.
Related event: Fruit Fly Brain Uploaded to Robot Drives Autonomous Behavior(2 posts)→
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