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Australia’s Cortical Labs to build bio-data center in Singapore
Cortical Labs, an Australia-based biotech startup, unveiled its first biological data center in Melbourne and is building another in Singapore with partner DayOne Data Centers Ltd. to run lab-grown human neurons on chips as experimental CL1 computing units.
The CL1 units use neurons converted from human blood cells that sit on chips which send and receive electrical signals and software interprets the cells’ responses.
Cortical Labs claims each CL1 uses a fraction of the power of conventional AI chips, though independent verification is still needed to confirm these performance metrics.
Observers say the approach remains years or decades from rivaling mainstream chips.
The projects aim to test biological computing at a small scale; independent verification would be needed to confirm performance and energy claims.
🔗 Source: Bloomberg
🧠 Food for thought
Implications, context, and why it matters.
The data center uses desktop biocomputers for research
- Cortical Labs’ CL1 is a self-contained biological computer built for researchers, scientists, and developers 1.
- Each unit combines wetware (living neurons), silicon, and software. A built-in life support system keeps about 800,000 lab-grown human neurons alive for up to six months 2, 3.
- Cortical Labs sells the CL1 for $35,000 to approved labs. It also offers cloud access that lets teams work with the neurons remotely 4.
Sentience talk could trigger tougher rules for the field
- Cortical Labs said its Pong-playing “DishBrain” had “sentience,” which drew sharp pushback from neuroscientists 4, 5.
- More than 30 researchers said the data did not support that wording. They warned the claims could harm the field’s credibility 4.
- Pioneers in brain organoid research (lab-grown miniaturized, simplified brain tissue) warned that inflated claims can mislead the public and policymakers. That could invite broad rules that slow related work, including medical research 4, 6.
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