Bird-brained Chinese scientists learn to fly pigeons

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http://news./s/nm/20070227/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_china_pigeon

 

Scientists in eastern China say they have succeeded in controlling

the flight of pigeons with micro electrodes planted in their brains,

state media reported on Tuesday.

 

Scientists at the Robot Engineering Technology Research Centre at

Shandong University of Science and Technology said ther electrodes

could command them to fly right or left or up or down, Xinhua news

agency said.

 

" The implants stimulate different areas of the pigeon's brain

according to signals sent by the scientists via computer, and force

the bird to comply with their commands, " Xinhua said.

 

" It's the first such successful experiment on a pigeon in the

world, " Xinhua quoted the centre's chief scientist, Su Xuecheng, as

saying.

 

Su and his colleagues, who Xinhua said had had similar success with

mice in 2005, were improving the devices used in the experiment and

hoped that the technology could be put into practical use in future.

 

The report did not specify what practical uses the scientists saw

for the remote-controlled pigeons.

 

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