Brain Cells Fused with Computer Chip

Discussion in 'General' started by Nomad, Mar 29, 2006.

  1. <STYLE type=text/css></STYLE>

    The achievement could 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.
    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.

    "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," said study team member Stefano Vassanelli from the University of Padua in Italy.

    The proteins allowed the neuro-chip's electronic components and its living cells to communicate with each other. Electrical signals from neurons were recorded using the chip's transistors, while the chip's capacitors were used to stimulate the neurons.

    It could still be decades before the technology is advanced enough to treat neurological disorders or create living computers, the researchers say, but in the nearer term, the chips could provide an advanced method of screening drugs for the pharmaceutical industry.


    The researchers are now working on ways to avoid damaging the neurons during stimulation. The team is also exploring the possibility of using a neuron's genetic instructions to control the neuro-chip.

    what do u guys think about this????
  2. lol wtf?? technology is great aint it
  3. one day we are just gonna have a brain in a jar for computers.
  4. i'm impressed enough that they fitted more than 16,000 electronic transistors and hundreds of capacitors onto a silicon chip just 1 millimeter square in size!:eek:
  5. If i see Arny walking around with a mini-gun, i'm going to blame these guys.
  6. How the fuck do they do that ?

    scientists are nuts
  7. Its evil!
  8. yeah to bad at the peak of knowing everything we will probably be wiped out by some force beyond our control
  9. There fucking with nature. It will come back to haunt us. It always does.

  10. You know how many are in your computer chip? :smoking:
  11. yeah, i saw a special on discovery science where these scientists took these gerbil braincells and hooked itup to a flight simulator for it to prectice on. Then they actually took it out and let it take control of a fighter jet during mid flight. THe brain was able to maintain altitude and keep the plane from veering one way or another. It is really inresting and i could see the implications in the future that will be mind blowing.
  12. naughtyneighbor exactly what i was thinking 16,000 is not shit, but hundreds of capacitors is another story, ya there Polly small as fuck but that’s still cool.

    also mixing silicon and living tissue has been around for almost 10 years so its about fucking time they did it to a human brain.
  13. It's kind of creepy.... Only time can tell what will happen.
  14. What if you get a virus

  15. hahahahahaha you just like freeze up and shit, haha how would you rebbot or sumthin?? haha that would be crazy, but prolly hella scary......
  16. or lagging out lol
  17. As a child of the computer age, even this shit is starting to creep me out. All in the name of science I guess...

Share This Page