Did the mushroom learn to control a robot, or did the scientists figure out how to connect a robot to a mushroom in such a way as to make the regular processes happening inside the mushroom trigger a set of robot legs? Because the article makes it seem like the mushroom is intelligent and has agency, and was thus far only lacking the proper robot body in order to express that; but the video makes it look like the legs were all pumping in unison, and the resulting movement was more or less coincidental.
It just using mushrooms as a sensor. The mushroom senses light, that causes an electrical response in the mycelium, electronics sense that electric signal and use it as a trigger to perform whatever.
The cool part comes from these living components added to robots having the potential to be better and cheaper than the regular tools we use for the job but unfortunately no sentient mushroom robots to party with yet.
I would more think of the fungus from The Last Of Us. This fungus really exists (maybe not to this scale pictured) and it controls ants after infecting them. It directly controls their muscles, while growing a fruit body out of the ant’s head.
The fungus senses light and humidity. Therefor it climbs plants up and down. The ant is just a vehicle, like a robot body.
Did the mushroom learn to control a robot, or did the scientists figure out how to connect a robot to a mushroom in such a way as to make the regular processes happening inside the mushroom trigger a set of robot legs? Because the article makes it seem like the mushroom is intelligent and has agency, and was thus far only lacking the proper robot body in order to express that; but the video makes it look like the legs were all pumping in unison, and the resulting movement was more or less coincidental.
It just using mushrooms as a sensor. The mushroom senses light, that causes an electrical response in the mycelium, electronics sense that electric signal and use it as a trigger to perform whatever.
The cool part comes from these living components added to robots having the potential to be better and cheaper than the regular tools we use for the job but unfortunately no sentient mushroom robots to party with yet.
I would more think of the fungus from The Last Of Us. This fungus really exists (maybe not to this scale pictured) and it controls ants after infecting them. It directly controls their muscles, while growing a fruit body out of the ant’s head.
The fungus senses light and humidity. Therefor it climbs plants up and down. The ant is just a vehicle, like a robot body.
Damn. Why didn’t you say that sooner. Now I understand how it works! Thank you.
Yes.