Australian Startup Unveils Human Brain Cell-Based Data Centers

Australian startup Cortical Labs has unveiled plans to set up two biocomputer facilities in Melbourne and Singapore that utilize lab-grown neurons. These facilities will house the company’s CL1 biocomputers, which operate on specialized silicon chips designed to engage with biological tissue.

The technology enables the chips to send electrical impulses to the neurons and capture their responses, effectively turning living tissue into a computational processor. Cortical Labs refers to these setups as "data centers," highlighting their novel approach to computing.

Energy Efficiency and Performance

Cortical Labs emphasizes that one of the key benefits of this technology is its low energy consumption. Founder and CEO Hong Weng Chong stated that each CL1 unit requires less power than a typical pocket calculator. The Melbourne site is projected to accommodate approximately 120 CL1 modules, while the Singapore facility is expected to house up to 1,000 units.

In previous developments, Cortical Labs successfully trained its CL1 units to play the game Pong and interact within the environment of Doom. This innovative leap follows similar advancements in the field, including a computer architecture developed from human brain organoids by Swiss company FinalSpark, which offers its services to researchers for $500 per month.

Additionally, advancements have been made by Chinese scientists who created a robot with a lab-grown artificial brain capable of learning various tasks.