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| Founders of Final Sparks, the developer of the first live computer |
Science fiction has long been a major source of inspiration for scientists, with many technologies we use today first appearing in sci-fi movies and series before becoming a reality, such as robots, video calls, smartphones, and tablets.
However, the latest development by Swedish scientists stands out as one of the most controversial innovations. They have created a "living computer" made from human brain tissue, reminiscent of the device seen in many science fiction films and animations.
The British newspaper Daily Mail recently published a detailed report on the world's first "living computer" made from human brain tissue.
According to the report, this living computer consists of 16 organic parts, or what can be described as clusters of brain cells that were grown in the lab. These cells communicate with each other in a manner very similar to the way traditional computer chips operate, sending and receiving neural signals.
One of the most significant advantages of this innovation is that the "living machine" consumes far less energy than traditional digital processors, as living neurons can use up to a million times less energy compared to current processors.
When compared to the best computers available today, such as the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Frontier, scientists found that the living computer has similar speed and a memory capacity 1000 times greater.
Statistics indicate that the human brain consumes between 10 to 20 watts, compared to a traditional computer that consumes 21 megawatts.
This "living computer" was developed by a team of scientists at Final Spark, a company focused on exploring solutions for biological neural networks.
10,000 Neurons
Dr. Fred Jordan, co-CEO of Final Spark, told *Daily Mail* that the idea has been common in science fiction, but there hasn’t been much serious research conducted on it until now.
According to the report, scientists take stem cells and grow them into what are known as "organoids," which are small, simple parts of an organ. These organoids are grown for up to a month to become neurons that can be used in building the "living computer."
About 10,000 living neurons were used to create this computer, each with a diameter of approximately 0.5 mm.
To train these organoids to function correctly, they are provided with doses of dopamine as a reward when they successfully complete tasks. This is done by exposing a specific area of the organoids to light, similar to what happens in the human brain when a specific region is activated.
Eight electrodes surround the tiny brains, measuring the neural activity and allowing researchers to send electrical currents through the electrodes to influence the neurons.
These electrodes serve a dual purpose: they stimulate the organoids to function and collect the data processed by these organs.
The organoids are placed in a microfluidic incubator that acts as a small plumbing system, providing the necessary fluids to keep the cells alive, while maintaining a stable, bacteria- and virus-free environment.
The Lifespan of Cells in the Living Computer is 100 Days
The neurons in this "living computer" have a lifespan of up to 100 days, forming a three-dimensional organic structure that closely resembles those found in the human brain, with similar electrical activity.
Scientists note that neurons in the human brain can live for about 80 years, but since current technology has not yet reached this level of efficiency, the cells in the living computer have a much shorter lifespan.
To overcome this challenge, scientists continuously grow new organoids to replace the ones that die.
Dr. Jordan described this "living computer" as "wetware," noting that this technology falls somewhere between traditional hardware and the software that runs on it.
He explained, "We call it 'wetware' because it requires a wet environment to keep the cells alive, similar to how the human brain works by combining information processing with the ability to adapt and learn."