VOA科学技术2023--Scientists Create ‘Biocomputer’ with Lab-Grown Brain Tissue

Scientists Create ‘Biocomputer’ with Lab-Grown Brain Tissue

American researchers have combined lab-grown human brain tissue with computer hardware to create a working biocomputer.

The scientists say brain cells used in the experiment were able to recognize speech and complete simple math problems.

The team made brain-like tissue that took the form of what they called a "brain organoid." Harvard University's Stem Cell Institute explains that an organoid is a collection of individualized, complex cells that can be grown from stem cells in a lab.

Under the right laboratory conditions, organoids can be made to look and even work similarly to real human tissue and organs. In this process, stem cells "can follow their own genetic¹ instructions to self-organize," the Stem Cell Institute says.

So far, scientists have been able to produce organoids that look like, or resemble, some organs. These organs include the brain, kidney, lung, stomach and liver. Such lab-created organoids are generally used to study how organs work without needing to experiment on actual organs.

In the biocomputer experiment, the team said stem cells were able to form neurons similar to those found in the human brain. Neurons are electrically charged cells that transport signals to the brain and other parts of the body.

Feng Guo led the experiment. He is a bioengineer and professor of Intelligent System Engineering at Indiana University Bloomington. His team recently published their research results in a study in Nature Electronics.

The researchers attached the brain organoid to a set of traditional electronic computing² circuits. The researchers call this system Brainoware. The system was used to establish communication between the organoid and electronic circuits. An artificial intelligence (AI) tool was used to help read the neural³ activity of the organoid.

The scientists aim to build "a bridge between AI and organoids," Guo explained to Nature. Guo believes that combining organoids and computer circuits could provide additional speed and energy to improve the performance of AI computing systems.

The study notes that adding human brain power might be able to help machines with the things they do not do as well as people. For example, the researchers said humans generally have a faster learning ability and use less energy thinking than computers do.

During one part of the experiment, the team tested the Brainoware system's voice recognition ability. The team trained the system on 240 recordings⁴ of eight different voices. The researchers said the organoid produced different neural signals in reaction to the different voices. The accuracy level of the system reached 78 percent, Guo said.

"This is the first demonstration⁵ of using brain organoids [for computing]," Guo told MIT Technology Review. He added, "It's exciting to see the possibilities of organoids for biocomputing in the future."

Guo said these results persuaded his team that a brain-computer system can work to improve computing performance, especially for some AI jobs. But he noted⁶ the best accuracy rates recorded by the Brainoware system were still below the accuracy rates of traditional AI networks. Guo said this is one of the things his team plans to try to improve.

Lena Smirnova is a developmental neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. She told Nature that more research will be needed to improve such systems. But she said, "The study confirms some key theoretical ideas that could eventually make a biological computer possible."

Smirnova noted that in earlier experiments, researchers have used other kinds of neuron cells to perform similar computational activities. But the latest study, she said, was the first to demonstrate this kind of performance in a brain organoid.

Words in This Story

instruction – n. a set of steps for how to do something

circuit – v. a complete circle an electric current travels around

accurate – adj. correct or exact

theoretical – adj. based on the ideas that relate to a subject, not the practical uses of that subject

1 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

2 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

3 neural   

adj.神经的，神经系统的

参考例句：

• The neural network can preferably solve the non- linear problem.利用神经网络建模可以较好地解决非线性问题。
• The information transmission in neural system depends on neurotransmitters.信息传递的神经途径有赖于神经递质。

4 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

5 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。