The article actually explains that the mushroom is essentially being hijacked for some of its sensory abilities, like light and heat. The mushroom is connected to an electronic circuit. The electronics make decisions about what to do based on the mushrooms’ sensory observations.
It’s a clickbait title, but the article does clarify.
Right? Why lie. Using mushrooms as a living sensor is cool as hell. Mushrooms can span miles through mycelium with multiple fruiting bodies. If you could take input from one body and get information from all the fruiting bodies that could be a cool way to get aggregate data across an area with little effort. Especially since mushrooms can grow in irradiated or otherwise dangerous locations.
The article actually explains that the mushroom is essentially being hijacked for some of its sensory abilities, like light and heat. The mushroom is connected to an electronic circuit. The electronics make decisions about what to do based on the mushrooms’ sensory observations.
It’s a clickbait title, but the article does clarify.
Robot uses mushrooms as living sensor would have intrigued me
Right? Why lie. Using mushrooms as a living sensor is cool as hell. Mushrooms can span miles through mycelium with multiple fruiting bodies. If you could take input from one body and get information from all the fruiting bodies that could be a cool way to get aggregate data across an area with little effort. Especially since mushrooms can grow in irradiated or otherwise dangerous locations.