World's first computer that combines human brain with silicon now available

 The CL1 computer is the first in the world that combines human neurons with a silicon chip. It could be used in disease modeling and drug discovery before it expires after six months. 

A new type of computer that combines regular silicon-based hardware with human neurons is now available for purchase.

The CL1, released March 2 by Melbourne-based startup Cortical Labs, is "the world's first code deployable biological computer," according to the company's website. The shoebox-sized system could find applications in disease modeling and drug discovery, representatives say.

Inside the CL1, a nutrient-rich broth feeds human neurons, which grow across a silicon chip. That chip sends electrical impulses to and from the neurons to train them to exhibit desired behaviors. Using a similar system, Cortical Labs taught DishBrain (a predecessor to the CL1) to play the video game Pong.

"The perfusion circuit component acts as a life support system for the cells - it has filtration for waste products, temperature control, gas mixing, and pumps to keep everything circulating," Brett Kagan, chief scientific officer of Cortical Labs, told New Atlas.

The system uses just a few watts of power and keeps neurons alive for up to six months, according to the company's website....<<<Read More>>>...