An Australian company called Cortical Labs has developed a computer powered by lab-grown human brain cells, Gizmodo reports.
The computer, known as CL1, is described as the world’s first “code deployable biological computer” and is now available for pre-order — for a price in the $35,000 range. Don’t want to buy your own device? The company also offers “Wetware-as-a-Service” via which you can rent bio-computer processing power via the cloud.
CL1 consists of lab-grown neurons grown on a glass-and-metal electrode array. They’re connected to 59 electrodes, creating a stable neural network. The system is encased in a life support unit that keeps the neurons alive by mimicking the body’s organ functions, including heart pumping, kidney-like waste filtration, and gas mixing of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.
According to Cortical Labs, the neurons are placed in a nutrient solution and receive their information from the company’s Biological Intelligence Operating System (biOS), which creates a simulated world in which the neurons receive sensory input and produce responses that affect the environment. CL1 is designed as a high-performance closed loop, where neurons interact with software in real time. The system can stay alive for up to six months and is compatible with USB devices.
Cortical Labs demonstrated an early version of the technology by teaching the system to play Pong. They claim that biological computers can rival or surpass digital AI systems, especially when it comes to understanding the basic mechanisms of intelligence.
According to the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, Brett Kagan, a network of 120 CL1 devices could give researchers insight into how genes and proteins affect learning. The technology can also be used in drug development and disease modeling by simulating neurological processes at the molecular level.