The world's first computer powered by human brain cells is now available for purchase

An Australian startup has introduced the world’s first commercial biological computer powered by living human brain cells.

Cortical Labs, based in Melbourne, launched the CL1 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, describing it as a “body in a box” with the potential to transform AI and robotics.

The computer utilizes lab-grown neurons that spread across a silicon chip, enabling them to send and receive electrical impulses.

This configuration is integrated into Cortical Labs’s Biological Intelligence Operating System (biOS), allowing users to deploy code through the neurons and carry out computing tasks.

An internal life support system, complete with pumps, gas, and temperature controls, keeps the neurons alive for up to six months. “A simple way to describe it would be like a body in a box,” said Brett Kagan, chief scientific officer of Cortical Labs, in an interview with New Atlas.

The biological system can learn and adapt more effectively than traditional silicon-based computers, while also consuming significantly less energy.

An earlier version of the biological computer, which featured 800,000 human and mouse neurons on a chip, was able to teach itself to play the video game Pong.

A study published in the journal Cell indicated that the neurons learned and displayed signs of sentience when placed in the simulated game environment.

The company asserts that it has implemented safeguards to address ethical concerns regarding consciousness and sentience, although few specifics were shared. The Independent has reached out to Cortical Labs for further comment.

“The neuron is self-programming, infinitely flexible, and the result of four billion years of evolution,” Cortical Labs states on its website.

“Our technology combines biology with traditional computing to create the ultimate learning machine... Unlike conventional AI, our neural systems require minimal energy and training data to master complex tasks.”

Cortical Labs announced that the first CL1 computers will be ready for shipment to customers in June, with each unit priced at around $35,000.

"Today marks the achievement of a vision that has driven Cortical Labs for nearly six years," stated Dr. Hon Weng Chong, founder and CEO of Cortical.

"Our long-term goal has been to make this technology accessible to researchers who lack specialized hardware and software. The CL1 embodies that goal.

“While today’s announcement is thrilling, it serves as a stepping stone for the next wave of innovation. The true impact and significance will emerge from every researcher, academic, or innovator who builds upon it.”