Predicting Manipulative Actions in Emerging Technologies

Avatars and computers are simulating and designing human behavior to find ways to teach salamanders.

The current theory is that the salamander’s gait is essential for the reptile’s survival. Different light levels increase the salamander’s movement. But instead of creating any new adaptations to move faster or in a new direction, the salamander itself learned to accept different lighting.

In experiments, robots changed the electric current through the environment. As the salamander moved, it was carefully timed and coordinated with the small changes in energy levels. When the animals evolved to move faster, and needed to move as quickly as possible, the energy levels became too low to keep their movement coordinated, but the animals didn’t lose their ability to coordinate their movements.

What Does It Mean?

Salamanders have evolved to move towards food and towards their predators using their gait. Despite the research and technological advancements, these amphibians may actually be like other animals, including primates, elephants, and even humans — that can express a wide range of intelligent behaviors.

Today, we want to create a robot that can mimic animals with high cognitive abilities. It can train to adapt their movements to move in a certain direction without paying attention to what their environment is doing. That’s not the case with salamanders. Though they can predict changes in their environment, they do not consciously learn about the changes.

Future Development

Salamanders may be the perfect model to study how life occurs in the wild. These animals are easy to observe, have mobile personalities, and are less aware of the surrounding area. These data points may help animal to evolve that can develop the natural behavior and smarts.

A more important reason, however, is that different animal actions and behaviors are extremely different. If robots try to learn one animal movements or behavior, it will never be true or accurate. But it's first experience with a robot that can mimic an animal’s behavior may go a long way toward giving robots the best chance to truly improve nature.

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