According to researchers, preliminary tests with the simulator, under possible conditions of the early Earth, created protocells: organized collections of lipds which may act as precursors to living cells. According to biologist David Deamer, the device is a game changer, and the cells produced so far are "significant". The "cells are not alive, but are evolutionary steps toward a living system of molecules ... [the simulator] opens up a lot of experimental activities that were literally impossible before.” Based on initial tests with the new simulator technology, project director Rheinstadter stated that it "seems that the formation of life is probably a relatively frequent process in the universe".