Researchers in the UK have created a ‘robot scientist’ named Adam which they believe is the first machine to have independently discovered new scientific knowledge.
Using artificial intelligence, Adam hypothesised that certain genes in baker’s yeast code for specific enzymes which catalyse biochemical reactions in yeast. The robot then devised experiments to test these predictions, ran the experiments using laboratory robotics, interpreted the results and repeated the cycle.
pilnick posted April 3, 2009
