Neuroplatform Creates Human Brain Cell Computer
Final Spark's bioprocessing platform uses human brain tissue from fetuses to significantly reduce energy consumption compared to traditional silicon chips.
Swiss technology firm Final Spark has developed Neuroplatform, a bioprocessing platform utilizing human brain organoids for computational tasks, aimed at reducing energy consumption. Traditional silicon-based chips, while pivotal in the evolution of computing, are known for their high energy use, especially with the increasing demands of artificial intelligence (AI) models.
Neuroplatform leverages brain organoids—laboratory-grown miniaturized organs—to perform computations, with an initial setup featuring 16 brain organoids that reportedly consume a million times less power than silicon chips. This approach offers potential energy savings, particularly relevant for AI model training, which can be energy-intensive. For instance, training the GPT-3 model consumed 10 GWh of energy, equivalent to the annual usage of 6,000 European cities.
The platform merges hardware, software, and biological components, often referred to as “wetware.” It employs Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEAs) that house the brain organoids connected to eight electrodes each, responsible for stimulating the organoids and recording data. Data transfer is facilitated by digital analog converters with high resolution and frequency, while a microfluidic system provides necessary life support.
Initial challenges included the short lifespan of the organoids, which would die within hours. However, improvements in the MEA systems have extended their lifespan to 100 days. Neuroplatform's software allows users to input variables for computations and interpret output data.
Some critics are concerned about the source of the organoids, such those that have been been cultivated from aborted fetal tissue. As the ethical debate begins, some say the use of human fetal tissue is ethical. However, if such fetal tissue becomes economically profitable, would a growing market for organoids incite pay per abortion? Expect these issues to take center stage as this technology progresses.
Neuroplatform is available to institutional users for research and development at a cost of $500 per user per month. Final Spark has partnered with nine institutes and aims to develop the first living processor. The research findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence.