Brain cell computer chip
p2p news / p2pnet: European researchers have developed neuro-chips with brain cells and silicon circuits fused together, says LiveScience.
They might one day enable the creation of sophisticated neural prostheses to treat neurological disorders, or the development of organic computers that crunch numbers using living neurons.
"To create the neuro-chip, researchers squeezed more than 16,000 electronic transistors and hundreds of capacitors onto a silicon chip just 1 millimeter square in size," the storty states, going on:
"They used special proteins found in the brain to glue brain cells, called neurons, onto the chip. However, the proteins acted as more than just a simple adhesive."
Team member Stefano Vassanelli from the University of Padua in Italy is quoted as saying, "They also provided the link between ionic channels of the neurons and semiconductor material in a way that neural electrical signals could be passed to the silicon chip".
However, it could be decades before the technology is advanced enough to treat neurological disorders or create living computers, adds LiveScience.
Also See:
LiveScience – Brain Cells Fused with Computer Chip, March 27, 2006
March 28th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Decades?
I would say years, and not so much of them.
March 28th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
Lovely! Get them out!
March 31st, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Imagine this: If enough of these neurons where activated, they could begin to develop a consciuseness. They could become a new lifeform all thier own. Genetic information in the neurons could contain personality traits from the donor as well; hapiness, anger, jealousy, rage. How about hooking up a whole brain? How about immortality. The possibilities here are endless and wonderful..(and a little scary) Hook a bunch of nuerons to a computer. Interseting…very intersting. My hat is off to Inineon.