The machine system helps bonsai trees control a robot arm holding a knife

The Plant Machete system includes ornamental plants of the Arachnaceae family and a robotic arm holding a large knife that can stab, slash and swing according to signals from the plant.

The system works by using a small open source controller connected to the tree to read electrical noise emitted by the tree using sensors mounted on the leaves. A custom software then translates these signals into real-time movement for the robot arm.

Bowen's purpose in creating Plant Machete is to demonstrate that plants can act as a robot's brain, allowing it to interact with the world.

Although very impressive, the technology of controlling robots with brain waves has been researched by many other engineers.

A few months ago, using a robotic arm connected to a brain-computer interface, a partially paralyzed man was able to feed himself for the first time in 30 years without the help of others. The system, created by a research team at the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, USA, allows patients to control robot arms with their thoughts to hold a knife and fork to cut food and then bring it to their mouth. .

Currently, scientists are continuing to develop a more advanced version that allows disabled people to transform the feeling of virtual limbs such as lost arms, legs. into real movements of the prosthesis.