Chinese scientists control live pigeon flights via brain electrodes

Scientists in eastern China have successfully experimented with brain-motor skill manipulation in pigeons to "force the bird to comply with their commands." Micro electrodes have been planted into the brains of these pigeons to control their movement left, right, up, and down during flight. While chief scientist Su Xuecheng boasts, "It's the first such successful experiment on a pigeon in the world," they were fruitless in the search for any type of practical use, which was, ironically, the group's initiative when moving forward from similar experiments in mice in 2005. Although it's doubtful these pigeons will be transformed into aviary cyborg fighting machines, perhaps the scientists can have a little fun with practical droppings jokes and the like.

[steve @ Feb 27th 2007 3:40PM]

Waiting for the army of RC pigeons joining the ranks of stunt planes at local air show

[Ron Smith @ Feb 27th 2007 3:45PM]

well thats easy, get a flock to fly into the engine of enemy fighters as they take off, bam their airforce is no more.

[Scabies @ Feb 27th 2007 3:46PM]

forgive the nerdiness, but is this more of a Borg type control (or Halo's 'flood'), where the host is cluelessly following the commands given by its controller, or more like some of the Ghost in the Shell hacks, where the host acts against it's will while conscious of it's intruder.

Maybe they are controlling the bird iPod-ologically, similar to the way many of you have been subverted...

[i3c @ Feb 27th 2007 3:49PM]

ooo. it's like manchurian candidate.
probly programming them to dive-bomb the prez.

[Brian @ Feb 27th 2007 3:57PM]

Great, the Chinese have achieved mind control.

[John Stracke @ Feb 27th 2007 4:21PM]

Yeah, but mind control of *pigeons*. They're not likely to be able to apply this to humans. Bushes, yes, but not humans.

[mastershake @ Feb 27th 2007 4:08PM]

actually in WWII one of our scientists trained pigeons to successfully pilot missles into enemy ships. It never went into full production because the pwoers to be at that time just thought it was TOO silly. While chinese are using a far more advanced mode of control, the uses could be the same. With small cameras these could make for good covert UAV's.

[aeo @ Feb 27th 2007 4:11PM]

They should figure out how to control the pooper and then the real dive bombing fun could begin.

[new world order @ Feb 27th 2007 4:13PM]

Great news for chinese spies

[ken @ Feb 27th 2007 4:22PM]

Imagine a beowulf cluster of these!

Soon the Manfred-flock will be a reality.

[Lorien Farren @ Feb 27th 2007 4:30PM]

I, for one, welcome our new computer controlled pigeon overlords.

[zetha @ Feb 27th 2007 4:34PM]

as mentioned before, UAV looks like the practical use

[Doc Lucas @ Feb 27th 2007 4:47PM]

I have experience with exploding Homing Pigeons. They are extremely unreliable. You shoot one off, and it almost has a mind of it's own.

We're far better off developing Super Banana Bombs and guided Super Sheep.

http://www.worms2.com

[John.Doe @ Feb 27th 2007 4:47PM]

"force the bird to comply with their commands" ... while flying. It isnt mind control. Electromagnetic impulses applied to the bird's brain (not sure, but I think pidgeons are not the only ones capable of guiding thmselves this way) to "confuse" them. You see, pidgeons use the Earth's electromagnetic field as a guide while flying. If you apply electricity of certain frequencies, you can "create" new guidelines and take the bird out of its natural flight plan. Interesting, but not Earth shattering .

[kim @ Feb 27th 2007 7:39PM]

lets see u make one if its so simple moron, darpa couldn't do it what makes u think u can? complete idiot

[LukeD @ Feb 27th 2007 5:14PM]

No wonder the stock market is falling today!

[MarkG @ Feb 27th 2007 5:21PM]

Do the same to pheasants, and strap guns to them, and it'll make bird-shoots much more interesting!

[Matt @ Feb 27th 2007 5:47PM]

Soon terrorists will be using this technology!
Look!

http://img140.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pigeonpoop2dk2sn8.jpg

[Parker @ Feb 27th 2007 6:52PM]

So when can we do it to penguins, strap fireworks to their backs, and send them marching through downtown Gotham?

[invincible @ Feb 27th 2007 6:56PM]

This is just the next step towards an improved implementation of RFC 1149.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_over_Avian_Carriers

[F @ Feb 27th 2007 7:28PM]

This sort of thing is disgusting. I realize that many people do not value a pigeon's life, but it's terrible to think of all the cruel experimentation that must have gone into the Chinese research. It's also a waste, considering it would be a lot easier to use remote-controlled vehicles to perform the same tasks. (Disguising such vehicles as birds, or whatever you want, would be a lot easier than trying to perform mind control on a living thing.)

[MrTroy @ Feb 28th 2007 2:34PM]

so once we learn how animal brains work and we can make this readily available to humans. That means, when people have really annoying habits(such as torrets) we can curb their habits. And without the use of medication! It is cruel but it is also a step in the right direction.

[John.Doe @ Feb 27th 2007 7:52PM]

excuse me...but you dont know me. You dont know what I CAN do, and CANT do. Dont start a name calling. Calling me a moron only makes you look like one. I said it was a simple experiment, and gave an explanation to why I think that way. I didnt call them morons, or stupid by not having figured out a way to do it earlier, and, I certainly didnt offend them in any way.

Anyways, thats my theory of how the device works, if it worked at all times, and not just while flying, it would be an entirely different boat (like the mice exeperiment they had going a while ago).

Thanks for your comment...

[jfn @ Feb 27th 2007 10:40PM]

dino-riders! well, pigeon riders in this case. the evil rulons have them brainboxed. we need some of those... crystal things... to talk to the other birds so we can fight back!

[dungeon @ Feb 28th 2007 4:07AM]

I can't wait to get one of these for christmas. Much better than a robosaurus.

[wargarurumon @ Feb 28th 2007 8:49AM]

oh no, oh no
mind control, aaaaaaaah!

[Drei @ Feb 28th 2007 1:10PM]

that's nothing, the White House has had remote control of bird-brains for at least 6 years now, probably longer...

[Jonathan @ Mar 2nd 2007 1:33AM]

Like all scientists around the world, this bunch dont care much for life. They are renowned for eating, butchering, probing anything that moves or swims; in particular, they love hurting inoccent, hungry creatures that share this earth with us (at their peril).

Scientists do this sort of experimentation in the name of research and for the good of humanity; but, they don't appear to have any objective or goal in mind for their mindless experimentation, arguing instead that killing thousands and even millions of creatures is worth it, just to save one human child! I ask you, what sort of hogwash is that?

There are thousands today who suffer all around the world because of lack of water, food and clothing - this is where the money and research should be spent, and not on fat research budgets that line the jackets of the greedy and cruel!

Finally, because these people hack me off - I just wish some alien race would land on Earth, preferably in their back yard, and stick pieces of metal in their brains. What we would have then is walking, talking robotic scientists - and that would be interesting indeed!!

[JIm @ Mar 15th 2007 5:20PM]

Ideally, the birds could be used to carry small explosives as an anti infantry weapon. As soon as any infantry saw any birds, they would begin shooting. An Ak47 would quickly run out of ammo from shooting at small birds.

[kevjohn @ Mar 15th 2007 6:32PM]

Cool. When can I get one for my boss?

[PF. @ Mar 21st 2007 11:53PM]

I have a list of people I'd like to have that bird dive poop on. Where can I get one?

[Jo @ Mar 28th 2007 3:51AM]

This is morally wrong. I am surprised that nobody sees the cruel sickness behind this.