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Scientists Create Computers with Mini-Brains!
The newest computer on the market isn’t a laptop with the thinnest bezel or a processor smaller than your fingertips; it’s one that is powered by a human brain itself. Yep, you read that right. Computers powered by brain-like living structures, human ‘brain organoids’. These aren’t regular harvested organs; rather, they are organic, lab-grown, miniature human brains! This has been perhaps the biggest scientific breakthrough, all thanks to FinalSpark, a Swiss tech company, spearheading the project.
What on Earth Are Brain Organoid Computers?
Think tiny human brains, only they are grown from stem cells in a lab and exhibit brain waves similar to those of premature babies. These organoids are all the new rage currently. Blend technology with biology, and you get a cutting-edge frontier in artificial intelligence like never before. FinalSpark has taken the concept one step further by attaching these brain organoids to computer chips, creating biohybrid systems that reportedly are on their way to out-performing even the most advanced machine learning systems, while saving 6000 times the power, as compared to models like GPT-3.
The company has now started delivering these organoids to the larger scientific community via their flagship project, Neuroplatform. At a price of only $500 a month, the website can provide you with as many brain cells as you need for your biotechnology research. Currently, FinalSpark has provided access to its novel computing platform to nine institutions, with the goal of promoting research and spurring intrigue in the field of bio-processing
Barriers to Brainstorming
So, why aren’t all of our computers powered by baby brains yet? A big limitation on the large-scale use and growth of these systems seems to be hypoxia. Given the fact that these organoids are essentially ‘disembodied brains’, maintaining life for them outside of a living body has proved to be a major challenge. Whereas your average silicon chip from your household calculator can last decades, the organoids have struggled to survive hours.
The think tank at FinalSpark has, however, figured out how to push these barriers by keeping the brain organoids in an oxygen-rich media and shaking them every now and then, which allows them to live for around 100 days. And that is all thanks to (scientific jargon alert!) the Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEAs), which house the living brain tissue. Think, a box for the brain. Except each of the MEAs can hold up to 4 organoids kept alive by a fluid-based life support system and monitoring cameras.
How do Scientists ‘Talk’ to a Floating Brain?
No. The answer is not telepathy, and I wish it were.
“We release dopamine precisely at the right time directly to the brain organoid by using a process called uncaging. We encapsulate dopamine in a molecular cage, invisible to the organoid initially. When we want to ‘reward’ the organoid, we expose it to specific light frequencies. This light opens the cage, releasing the dopamine and providing the intended stimulus to the organoid.”
Dr. Fred Jordan, FinalSpark co-founder
To break it down, the process of training a brain organoid is not very different from training your average household puppy. Just as you would reward Garry the Golden Retriever with a treat every time he fetches the ball successfully, similarly, the scientists let the organoid get a whiff of “dopamine”, the happy hormone, each time the organoid gives them the right answer for ‘2+2’. This approach to training computers, and specifically AI models, has actually been in practice for almost a decade now.
Garry the Gold Retriever is soon to face his greatest foe, Barry the Brain.
They Think, Therefore, are They?
“Cogito, ergo sum” often translated to “I think, therefore I am” is a quote by French Mathematician and philosopher René Descartes. And this quote has some relevance to the (grey) matter at hand.
These brains aren’t a product of just metal and fibre put together. They are living biological units of intelligence. They have functioning light receptors, the third cousin to our eyes, and rudimentary perception abilities, raising all sorts of ethical red flags. Are we inadvertently creating sentient beings? If these organoids are aware, what are the moral implications?
Using human brain tissue for commercial purposes is a controversial topic, to say the least. These organoids can’t give informed consent. It’s one thing to rent out server space, but renting out brain space? That’s a whole different ball game.
The idea of potentially sentient mini-brains being used for profit requires serious ethical consideration.
The Future Looks Fleshy
FinalSpark claims that Brain Organoids will be the computing devices of our Cyberpunk future, potentially majorly replacing conventional computing, if not entirely. So, it is important for us to use this bit of human ingenuity to boost our creativity, not stifle it. The company, at the moment, aims at dribbling down the energy consumption on these devices to the very limit and then shifting focus to practical computing use (like object recognition) beyond just research.
The AI revolution has struck us hard and fast, but it is indeed important to be captains of our journey with it, not just passengers. And keep our fingers crossed that the Supercomputers of the future, use their brains for more good than evil.
Closing Note
We hope this dive into the fascinating world of brain organoid computers has sparked your curiosity and ignited your imagination. As we stand on the brink of a new era in computing, blending the biological with the technological, your thoughts and opinions are more important than ever. What do you think about these tiny, lab-grown brains powering our future? Are we pioneers of progress, or are we treading on ethically shaky ground?
Join the conversation! We invite all enthusiasts, skeptics, and everyone in between to share their insights and reflections in the comments below. Your voice matters in this unfolding narrative.
And if you’re passionate about these themes and eager to contribute more than just a comment, we’d love to hear from you. Whether you have groundbreaking ideas, nuanced perspectives, or a knack for unraveling complex topics, consider writing for us. Reach out to us at [email protected]
