The convergence of tech and biology heralds a transformative shift in computing.
Remember that scene in a sci-fi movie where a human connects with a computer? That concept might not be so far-fetched anymore. Scientists in Switzerland have developed a biocomputer that uses living brain cells instead of traditional circuits. This innovative machine, they claim, uses significantly less energy than your typical computer.
For years, researchers have been trying to build AI systems that mimic the human brain's power. But the more complex these artificial brains become, the hungrier they get for energy. This new biocomputer takes a different approach, leveraging the natural efficiency of real brain cells.
This marks a pioneering advancement towards a future where technology and biology synergize, potentially ushering in a new era of computing with significantly reduced environmental impact. The findings have been published in Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence.
According to a release by FinalSpark, a Swiss biocomputing startup, the platform provides around-the-clock access to 16 human brain organoids aimed at developing the world's first living processor. These bioprocessors, composed of living neurons capable of learning and processing information, consume a million times less power than traditional digital processors, potentially reducing the environmental impact associated with the rising use of computers.
"We firmly believe that such an ambitious goal can only be achieved through international collaboration," said Dr Fred Jordan, co-founder of FinalSpark.
FinalSpark claims that so-called bioprocessors, like the brain-machine interface system they're developing, "consume a million times less power than traditional digital processors.".
"Over the past three years, the Neuroplatform has been utilised with over 1,000 brain organoids, enabling the collection of more than 18 terabytes of data," FinalSpark co-founder Fred Jordan and his colleagues write in their published paper, which has been peer-reviewed like other scientific studies.