Brainmakers: How Scientists Are Moving Beyond Computers to Create a Rival to the Human Brain

Freedman, David H.

ISBN 10: 0671760793 / ISBN 13: 9780671760793

Published by Simon & Schuster, Riverside, New Jersey, U.S.A., 1994

About this Item

Some edgewear and creasing of spine and covers otherwise still a good reading copy.

Seller Inventory # NS1232

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Brainmakers: How Scientists Are Moving Beyond Computers to Create a Rival to the Human Brain
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Riverside, New Jersey, U.S.A.
• Publication Date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0671760793
• ISBN 13: 9780671760793
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • .Science, general

About this title

Synopsis

An illuminating, lucid account of scientific work on artificial intelligence explores the groundbreaking research being done in robotics and neuroscience, showing how thinking machines may surpass the human brain's powers. 30,000 first printing. Tour.

From the Back Cover

Join David Freedman as he takes you on a fascinating tour behind the scenes at laboratories around the world as top researchers race to create revolutionary "thinking machines" that may one day lead to a new form of intelligence.

The subject of fantasy and skepticism for centuries-- from William James's mechanical bride to 2001's Hal to Star Wars' R2D2-- artificial intelligence has been limited to number-crunching computers that are"smart" only in highly specific domains like chess-- until now. "Brainmakers" is an eye-opening, mind-expanding, and mind-blowing journey through laboratories engaged in cutting-edge research into neuro-science and robotics. Inside, you'll discover:

MIT's Attila, a 3.6-pound, six-legged robot that learns as it interacts with its surroundings.

Japan's efforts to grow brain cells on chips and construct a "wiring diagram" of the human brain

UCLA's "robot farm", where robots will be "bred" for intelligence.

In exciting yet accessible detail, Freedman shows how this research has moved into a new realm that transcends computer science, combining neuroscience, mircobiology, evolutionary biology, and zoology. Modeled after natural rather than artificial intelligence, thinking machines may soon develop powers that rival-- or exceed-- those of the human brain.