From Science Fiction to the Lab: The Rise of Biocomputing
What once lived only in novels and films is beginning to take shape in European laboratories. Biocomputing envisions computers built from living neural tissue—mini-brains cultivated in the lab and wired to sensors to perform calculations. The most visible emblem of this field is a project at a Swiss lab called FinalSpark, cofounded by Dr. Fred Jordan. He imagines a future where data centers resemble ecosystems of living servers, learning with an efficiency that far surpasses today’s silicon-based machines.
In interviews and demonstrations, researchers emphasize a shift in perspective: rather than thinking of hardware and software as separate, biocomputing treats neural tissue itself as the machine. When a button is pressed and an electric impulse travels into a cultivated neural sphere, a graph on a monitor shows the organoid’s activity—a rudimentary neural readout reminiscent of an EEG trace.
How Wetware Works: Building Computers from Cells
Biocomputing relies on “wetware” instead of traditional hardware. Scientists begin with stem cells derived from human skin, obtained under strict ethical and regulatory standards. These cells are coaxed to form organoids — spherical, brain-like structures that contain neuron types present in a human brain, though in a much simpler arrangement. Once mature enough, these organoids are interfaced with electrodes. The instructional workflow is straightforward: input a stimulus, such as a light image or a spoken command; the organoid processes the input, and researchers observe the resulting neural output as a measurable signal on a screen.
“We feed an input with an intended output in mind,” explains Dr. Jordan, “for example, giving a picture of a cat and asking the system to determine whether it is a cat.” The promise lies in training mini-brains to perform recognition, pattern detection, or other computational tasks with a distinctly different energy profile from conventional chips.
The Challenge: Keeping a Computer Alive
A central hurdle is the lack of a vascular system within organoids. Real brains rely on blood vessels to supply nutrients and remove waste; organoids mainly survive by diffusion, a limitation that constrains their size and longevity. As Simon Schultz, a neurotechnology professor at Imperial College London, notes, “organoids don’t yet have blood vessels, and we don’t fully know how to create them.” In current experiments, organoids can persist for up to four months, with occasional bursts of intense activity resembling late-life neural events.
Jordan acknowledges the emotional and scientific weight of the work: “We’ve recorded thousands of brief ‘deaths’ in the last five years. It is troubling, and it forces us to pause and rethink the experiment.” Yet the researchers emphasize that these living systems should not be feared; they are, in essence, computers built from a different substrate.
Where It’s Happening: Global Efforts and Early Achievements
FinalSpark is part of a broader global effort. In Australia, Cortical Labs demonstrated a rudimentary form of biocomputing when cultured neurons learned to play Pong in 2022. Across the Atlantic, Johns Hopkins University in the United States uses mini-brains to study information processing with an eye toward accelerating treatments for neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and autism. Researchers there stress that biocomputing is meant to augment silicon-based systems, not replace them, and could reduce animal testing in drug development.
Dr. Lena Smirnova, leading a Johns Hopkins project, offers a pragmatic view: “Biocomputing should complement silicon chips and help reduce animal testing.” Schultz shares a similar sentiment, arguing that while bio-based systems may not outperform traditional microchips across all tasks, they will carve out niche areas where their unique properties excel.
From Dream to Practice: What Biocomputing Could Deliver
For many researchers, the appeal of biocomputing lies in its potential to transform both AI and medicine. Living circuits could learn and adapt in ways that are difficult for rigid silicon architectures, while also offering lower energy consumption for specific tasks. Although still in its infancy, the movement toward “wetware” computations invites a reimagining of computer design, interfaces, and the ethical frameworks that govern how living tissues are used in technology.
A Crossover Between Fantasy and Reality
Dr. Fred Jordan concedes that his early interest in science fiction helped spark the idea: “I always felt a bit sad that my life wasn’t like the SF stories I loved. Now I feel like I’m living inside a book—one I’m actively writing.” As biocomputing matures, it may not replace iconic silicon chips overnight, but it is poised to open entirely new avenues for AI research, medical discovery, and energy-efficient computing. In this nascent field, the line between fantasy and reality continues to blur, with scientists insisting that the best path forward involves cautious optimism, rigorous ethics, and relentless experimentation.
