Ghost Circuits: Machines That Think Without Code

Ghost Circuits: Machines That Think Without Code

From Soft Robotics Podcast by Marwa ElDiwiny

June 3, 2026 · 1h 23m

About this episode

Thrishantha Nanayakkara discusses how machines can think without traditional code in his book Ghost Circuits.

What if intelligence doesn’t come from code at all? Thrishantha Nanayakkara, professor of robotics at Imperial College London, explores this idea in Ghost Circuits. The book shows how computation can emerge from physical materials, geometry, and body–environment interactions, suggesting that “thinking machines” may not need traditional software at all. 👉 Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/02hkjfLp

People in this episode

Host: Marwa ElDiwiny

Guest: Thrishantha Nanayakkara

Topics covered

  • intelligence
  • robotics
  • computation
  • physical materials
  • geometry
  • body-environment interactions

Keywords

  • intelligence
  • robotics
  • computation
  • Ghost Circuits
  • Thrishantha Nanayakkara
  • Imperial College London
  • thinking machines

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Imperial College London

Products: Amazon

Books & works: Ghost Circuits

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