AI Summary
Researchers have found that non-living hydrogels can play the video game Pong and improve their gameplay with more practice. By creating a feedback loop between the hydrogel's paddle and the ball's position through electrical stimulation, the hydrogel's accuracy improved by up to 10% with experience. This ability demonstrates that non-living materials can use 'memory' to understand and adapt to their environment, suggesting potential applications for these hydrogels in various fields. More research is needed to determine if hydrogels can truly 'learn.'
Non-living hydrogels can play the video game Pong and improve their gameplay with more experience, researchers report. The researchers hooked hydrogels up to a virtual game environment and then applied a feedback loop between the hydrogel’s paddle — encoded by the distribution of charged particles within the hydrogel — and the ball’s position — encoded by electrical stimulation. With practice, the hydrogel’s accuracy improved by up to 10%, resulting in longer rallies. The researchers say that this demonstrates the ability of non-living materials to use ‘memory’ to update their understanding of the environment, though more research is needed before it could be said that hydrogels can ‘learn.’