Computer engineers are constantly pushing the boundaries, creating faster and more intelligent bits of metal and silicon. However, neuroscientists at Indiana University have now taken things a step in a different direction and have created a small computer from human brain tissue.
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 Computer engineers are constantly pushing the boundaries,
00:06 creating faster and more intelligent bits of metal and silicon.
00:09 But now, neuroscientists at Indiana University
00:12 have taken things a step in a different direction
00:14 and have created a small computer from human brain tissue.
00:17 They're calling it Brain-Aware,
00:19 and it could be the first step in creating computers
00:22 that are as powerful as the human brain,
00:24 still nature's most sophisticated machine.
00:26 So far, it has been used for speech recognition and nonlinear equation prediction.
00:31 And while it's not as accurate as a programmed computer,
00:33 it's an exceptional proof of concept.
00:35 That's because the human brain has an astounding 86 billion neurons,
00:39 with quadrillions of connections between them.
00:42 And while a human brain calculator is something straight out of science fiction,
00:45 other researchers caution about the ethical considerations
00:48 of this type of engineering moving forward,
00:50 saying that it is critical for the community
00:52 to examine the myriad of neuroethical issues that surround biocomputing systems,
00:57 incorporating human neural tissue.
00:59 After all, having a self-aware calculator is a bit sinister.
01:02 But the neuro researchers at IU have followed all preordained ethical guidelines.
01:06 They also outlined how Brain-Aware can adapt
01:08 and has the flexibility to change and reorganize in response to electrical stimulation,
01:13 which they say is good for new ways of computing
01:15 and might someday be used to produce new neuro-therapeutics.
01:19 [music]