In a scene that sounds ripped from science fiction, scientists in Switzerland are growing miniature human brains—and using them to explore a revolutionary new kind of computing.
At the biotech firm FinalSpark, researchers are cultivating “organoids”—tiny clusters of brain cells grown from human skin-derived stem cells. These mini-brains are being trained to process information like computers, potentially paving the way for biocomputers that mimic the way our own brains learn and think—while using a fraction of the energy of traditional computers.
The team’s co-founder, Dr. Fred Jordan, envisions future data centers filled with living servers. He calls this radical new platform “wetware”, a fusion of biology and technology where neurons act as computing elements. “It’s a different view of our own brain,” he says. “And it makes you question what we are.”
Once mature, the organoids are attached to electrodes, where scientists attempt to send and receive simple electrical signals. The ultimate goal is to train these mini-brains to recognize patterns, learn, and adapt—much like artificial intelligence.
But the challenges are as complex as the concept. Organoids have no blood vessels, which limits their lifespan. FinalSpark’s current organoids can survive up to four months. Before they die, researchers sometimes observe a sudden burst of activity, eerily similar to end-of-life brain patterns in humans.
Despite ethical and technical hurdles, the field is expanding. Labs in Australia and the U.S. are developing similar brain-like structures to study neurological diseases and test drugs.
Experts agree that biocomputing won’t replace silicon chips any time soon, but it could carve out a unique niche in AI and medicine.
As Dr. Jordan puts it, “I always felt my life wasn’t like a sci-fi book. Now, I feel like I’m living in one.” (excerpts from BBC)