Melbourne, Australia – A unique datacenter is challenging conventional computing norms, not with silicon, but with living brain cells. Cortical Labs, a biotechnology company based in Melbourne, is pioneering biological computing, and the daily routine at its facility involves a process unlike any other: replenishing computers with a fluid mimicking cerebrospinal fluid. This isn’t science fiction; it’s the reality of a nascent industry aiming to revolutionize processing power and energy efficiency.
The require for this specialized fluid stems from the very nature of the “computers” themselves – lab-grown neurons. According to Hon Weng Chong, CEO and founder of Cortical Labs, the neurons rapidly deplete oxygen and glucose from the surrounding liquid, necessitating a daily top-up. Beyond the fluid, technicians also carefully adjust the atmospheric composition, maintaining around five percent oxygen by adding nitrogen and carbon dioxide to create an optimal environment for these biological processors. This meticulous care underscores the challenges and complexities of working with living systems in a computational context.
Biological computing is still in its early stages, but Chong believes these neuron-based systems possess unique capabilities. He claims they can learn and adapt within simulated environments more quickly than traditional computers, generate original ideas rather than simply reordering information like large language models (LLMs), and achieve all this with significantly lower energy consumption. This potential for efficiency is a key driver behind the growing interest in the field.
Yet, scaling biological computing faces a significant hurdle: the limited availability of cells and the expertise required to handle them. Chong envisions a future with dedicated “cell foundries” – the biological equivalent of TSMC – to provide readily accessible biological components. Until then, Cortical Labs is democratizing access through a cloud service, offering researchers and developers a way to experiment with this groundbreaking technology.
Cortical Labs has established a cloud platform with 120 CL1 units, providing an API and interface for users to run Jupyter Notebooks or Python code on biological computers. Access is granted through a standard credit card payment, but the preparation process is far from typical. Each job requires approximately a week of setup, including sourcing the desired cell type and establishing the necessary physical environment. Most users, Chong anticipates, will rent just three or four CL1 units to ensure experimental repeatability and control group comparisons.
The initial user base is expected to consist of scientific labs lacking their own CL1 infrastructure, as well as organizations exploring novel computing approaches. Chong points to early investments in quantum computing by Australian banks as a parallel, suggesting a similar exploratory interest in biological computing. “That’s the kind of early customer we hope will dabble with Cortical’s cloud,” he said.
Cortical Labs recently demonstrated the learning capabilities of its systems by teaching them to play the video game DOOM, building on earlier success with Pong. The underlying methodology stems from research published in 2022, detailed in a paper titled “In vitro neurons learn and exhibit sentience when embodied in a simulated game-world.” The study, available as a PDF, describes how researchers used a biological neural network (BNN) composed of human and rodent stem cells on high-density multielectrode arrays.
The paper explains that the system leverages the natural electrical communication between neurons to bridge the gap between silicon hardware and biological systems. This initial work with Pong was refined and commercialized into the CL1 biological computer, now available for purchase.
Using a CL1 requires careful selection of cell lines with genetic traits suited to the specific computational task. The current process involves hands-on management of fluids and gases, a task Chong acknowledges is not ideal but believes users will tolerate for now. He also admits to a degree of caution about granting complete autonomy to these biological computers, half-jokingly expressing discomfort with the idea of them controlling their own destiny.
Cortical Labs, founded in 2019 by Hon Weng Chong, has quickly become a leader in the field of biological computing. The company raised $1.62 million in seed funding in June 2019, backed by Blackbird Ventures and January Capital, and followed up with a $10 million round led by Horizons Ventures in April 2023, with participation from several other venture firms, including In-Q-Tel, the venture arm of the CIA (Cortical Labs – Wikipedia). The CL1, launched in 2025, represents a significant step towards making biological computing commercially viable.
As the field matures, automation will likely streamline the current manual processes. However, for now, the daily ritual of tending to these living computers remains a defining characteristic of Cortical Labs’ unique approach to computation. The development of a dedicated cell foundry will be crucial for wider adoption, but the cloud service offers a valuable stepping stone for researchers and organizations eager to explore the potential of this emerging technology.
The future of computing may very well be alive, and Cortical Labs is at the forefront of this fascinating and rapidly evolving field. The company’s continued innovation and the development of supporting infrastructure will be key to unlocking the full potential of biological computers and their impact on various industries.
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