Swiss company FinalSpark has developed a computer architecture from living biological matter—organoids of the human brain—and is renting it to scientists for $500 a month, reports Live Science.
The aim is to create a solution for developing energy-efficient artificial intelligence models. FinalSpark co-founder Fred Jordan stated that using computers made from organic materials could be 100,000 times more efficient than traditional silicon technologies.
Each organoid, measuring 0.5 mm in width, is connected to eight electrodes that stimulate neurons and link them to computer networks. The cells are exposed to the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine to mimic the human brain’s reward system.
Dopamine rewards and electrical stimulation train the organoid neurons, encouraging them to form new pathways and connections, similar to a living human brain.
If this learning system is improved, it could eventually allow organoids to mimic artificial intelligence and perform functions of silicon-based central and graphics processing units, claims FinalSpark.
Currently, the facility houses 2,000–3,000 organoids, which live for about 100 days. Their behavior is broadcast live.
Research groups from 34 universities have requested permission to use the company’s biocomputers. Some study the activity of organoids, while others attempt to integrate them into artificial intelligence learning models.
Earlier, Chinese scientists developed a robot with a lab-grown artificial brain.