Stem Cell AI

“Brain on a chip” project aims to revolutionize computing power

Scientists will use human brain stem cells on microchips in the pioneering NEU-Chip project to bring artificial intelligence to new heights (AI).

Scientists have begun work on a project in which human brain stem cells can be used to fuel artificial intelligence (AI) devices, ushering in a computer revolution.

The Neu-Chip project, led by Aston University researchers, has been awarded €3.5 million to demonstrate how neurons, the brain’s information processors, can be used to supercharge computers’ abilities to learn while significantly reducing energy usage. 

The researchers are now embarking on a three-year study to show how human brain stem cells developed on a microchip can be taught to solve problems using data, paving the groundwork for a “paradigm change” in machine learning technology. 

AI is increasingly being used in a variety of fields, including healthcare, finance, autonomous cars, and voice recognition, as well as recommending movies via on-demand platforms like Netflix. Machine intelligence is being heavily invested in by the “big four” tech giants – Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook – as well as many others, to customize their offerings and better understand their customers.

Present electronic methods to machine learning, on the other hand, have their limits, involving ever-increasing processing capacity and heavy energy consumption. The latest breed in “neuromorphic computing”, which attempts to electronically imitate human brain behavior, is hampered by intrinsic shortcomings of traditional electronics.

Human brain cells, on the other hand, effortlessly integrate these functions and need relatively little power demand, consuming only a limited amount of nutrient-rich solution.

In the Neu-Chip project, the team would layer networks of stem cells matching the human cortex onto microchips. they would then use shifting patterns of light beams to stimulate the cells. They will be able to observe the modifications the cells go through using sophisticated 3D data simulation to see how adaptable they are.