The human brain works differently than a computer – while the brain works with biological cells and electrical impulses, a computer uses silicon-based transistors. Scientists led by Paschalis Gkoupidenis, group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, have now combined the two worlds in a large-scale research collaboration. They have equipped a toy robot with a smart and adaptive electrical circuit made of soft organic materials, similarly to the biological matter. With this bio-inspired approach, they were able to teach the robot to navigate independently through a maze using visual signs for guidance.