Neurons grown in the lab are no longer doing the calculation: the beginning of the era wetware CL1

One night, I dreamt I was a butterfly in a dream. I was flying, I was light, I was free. What I knew that I was a human, nor have I thought of something else. Then I woke up, I remembered that I'm a person. But now that I think about it, I wonder, Am I a butterfly in a dream a person who is, or am I a butterfly who dreams he's a human being?

In the Matrix, there's a scene I can't forget. Morpheus shows neo they hold in the hands of a battery that scene. In fact, it wasn't a battery in the first draft of the scenario — was a CPU. So, we can call the brain of the computer processor. They did change the battery but this idea so many people can understand it. In the movie, The Machines uses people as a source of energy — the most important in the field of human connection cable hardware the glass was going directly to the brain.

Note that image now. Because you have in front of Cl1 — the world's first bio-computer. This week was released. You can buy directly online. Only 35 thousand dollars.

1. CL1 what is it? Basic design concept and Wetware

It's not hardware, wetware

If you want to make a server farm and the thirties in packs of wholesale price buy 20 of them for a thousand dollars, they leave too. 115 grain, the first order was given, even. This summer they're going to deliver. Why did they do such a strange hardware? Once it's not the hardware, wetware this design called.

These transistors made from Silicon, such as normal computers have. Instead, bred in the laboratory in human brain cells have 800 thousand. You may know neurons. These tubes, cables, providing nutrients to the cells they then, Temperature Control, and fluid balance and filter waste that preserves life-support system. In this way, the feeding cells is that it can only survive for 6 months.

Neurons fire electrical signals it receives the signals you gave them, and do you interpret the response. This matrix IT's not the film — in the real world it's been done.

2. Cortical labs and Final Spark: two different approaches

Cortical Labs — in-a-box body

This bio-computer Labs in Australia, the company established developing Cortical — ironic in a way where the Matrix was filmed in the country. The founder, Wang Chang Hon "body in a box," he says. The company, known as brain dish on the plate was known by experience that the brain — brain cells in the laboratory is learned to play Pong. Now that concept made it into a saleable product.

The final Spark — rent from the cloud to the brain

In Switzerland there's a company rival: the final Spark. They are not the same technology as a computer, a cloud-based service, they turned to. Wetware on the moon for a thousand dollars as a service model with human brain cells by connecting remotely, you can use rent to Switzerland. You can even monitor the electrical signals of brain cells even alive.

3. Neurons Come From? The Stem Cell Revolution

Make brain cells from blood and skin

These cells not directly from the human brain. These bio-derived neurons from stem cells inside the computer. Several species of stem cells in our body have stem cells in our skin and bone marrow stem cells that can produce new cells. You can think of them as a template: new can yield millions of cells.

He used to think that mature cells cannot be restored scientists for a very long time. Kyoto University of mouse skin cells to become pluripotent Yamanaka of Shinya until you get up. That work won the Nobel Prize in 2012. In human cells, and this method works just as well.

In step four neuron production

Spark Labs is using this exact method for cortical and final here. Before they take people from voluntary blood cells. They're turning into induced pluripotent stem cells with genetic reprogramming of these cells. Then begins the process of gene editing incubation and sensitive for a few weeks. And finally, the last step is so immature yet fully converted to nerve cell precursor cells in these brain cells. Officially, they make up the brain cells from skin or blood. This process takes approximately four months.

In this area there was a development of the MIT researchers say they have developed a method that can shorten this long process from the University. Root can generate neurons from skin cells with hure directly without any hassle.

4. MEA chips and organoid are: how do neurons does the calculation?

Electrode array for multi — input and output

Researchers properly mature the cells with electrodes on a chip is placing them too — Multi electrode array, so MEA. Here you can read the cells and the signal is being sent and also their activities. The input and output. Human neurons placed on silicon chips.

Organoid — not brain brain-like

These organs is not organoid is called. Minyaur organs that mimic real 3D cell structures. Live tissue — but not exactly a brain. Areas of around 5 million cells and can reach up to half a centimeter. There are about 86 billion neurons in the human brain, and these trillions of connections among themselves, is able to. And besides, all these while, spending only 20 watt Energy — small as a light bulb.

5. The Brain Dish Experiment: Learning How To Neurons?

The principle of free energy and stick-carrot method

Modern neural cells the rules of the game of science is one of the most interesting theories of learning: the free energy principle. According to this principle, prefer the predictability of intelligent systems, don't like uncertainty. All living systems tries to predict the world around them and adapt their behavior to minimize surprises.

Around neurons was given to the game world, and a reward-punishment mechanism was established. If the ball misses them as if a punishment is sending a signal neurons in complex and unpredictable — in the region of 150 MV for 4 seconds, at a frequency of 5 Hz electrical noise stimulation. Annoying static noise. Short if they meet the ball successfully, clean, smooth sending a signal — at a frequency of 100 Hz, 100 ms sine wave. Training with sticks and carrots.

Conclusion: sensory input, how much more positive if they take the greater the performance. The brain just aren't responding dish — is learning how to play the game. In this experiment, although not as large as an organ of a living system is able to learn that showed. Synaptic plasticity — the connections between neurons are strengthened or weakened by the frequency of the warning — it is the foundation of learning.

6. The energy crisis and the advantages of biological intelligence

Data centres't you brains?

The biggest criticism one of the points of her needs a lot of artificial intelligence today. Lots of water, lots of places to energy. Weighing many hundreds of tons, the huge server farms where thousands gather so much energy needs of the processor, which Microsoft started buying up companies such as nuclear power plants and meta. 2034 up to 1580 teravat data centers around the world is expected to consume hours of energy per year — India use up energy.

However, even the most severe things you can do with a lot less of our brain. Hon Wang Chang says: "everyone is competing to build AGI. However, we know the only real AGI biological intelligence — human intelligence."

7. The discussion of consciousness: organoid can think of?

Ethics, philosophy, and undefined limits

This intelligence can gain an awareness of and? Currently, it is not the brain that we have a full organoid brain, and consciousness we know about the criteria to satisfy either the size or complexity they're not. But if this limit is exceeded? This neuron networks, or if it reaches a certain level of awareness when it establishes a connection minyaur enough?

What is thought or self-awareness will be considered in the hands of scientists stating that basic agreement, there is a clear definition. When considering system change? There is a threshold between consciousness with neuronal activity? Cortical Labs even started a poll for the public to discuss here. It's just it's not scientific — ethical at the same time, at the same time a philosophical discussion area. You can consider organoid can be created if this is not the only technology of humanity, our definition even re-write it.

8. Next: Bio-Computers, Where Is It Going?

The pocket size of the room

Dr. Brett Kagan, the person who performed the experiment, the brain dish bio-accessibility of computer technology in describing the first stages of making an analogy with the ICT industry. 60s-70s, IBM S/360 computers to fill a room like there were big, and a specialized team needed to run them. Currently Bio-About Computer Technology at this stage.

How the room sized computers then dwindle and on our table, on top of our series, even if in our pockets could come this summer in conjunction with the entire small as 800 thousand brain cells into a box by the power of the life support system is fulfilled. 35 thousand dollars by everyone who can spare — they're giving priority to the laboratories of the university, but theoretically can be used by anyone.

2500 years ago, someone in a dream, she thought it was a butterfly. The human brain grown in a laboratory in Switzerland that are now under the control of a small butterfly, flying in the 3D virtual environment. Electrical and chemical stimulation of sensory input is transmitted to organoid — and organoid in real-time, sending signals that control the movement of the butterfly. It's like living in this simulated world like the brain itself.

Resources and references

1. Cortical Labs — CL1 product and technical documentation page (corticallabs.com)

2. The Final Spark — as-a-service platform wetware (finalspark.com)

3. Kagan et al. — "In vitro simulated neurons exhibit sentience when they learn and embodied in a game-world", Neuron (2022)

4. Shinya Yamanaka — iPSC technology, Nobel Prize 2012 (nobelprize.org)

5. MIT — production of skin cells directly into neurons from research (mit.edu)

6. International Energy Agency data center energy consumption projections (iea.org)

7. Friston, Karl — free energy principle and active inference theory