with Dr. Hon Weng
Despite in-vitro cortical neurons exhibiting similar electrophysiology as their counterparts in the brains of their original donor organisms, the question remains whether this electrical activity is analogous to the information processing and intelligence observed in the donor. The DishBrain project demonstrates that if given the right embodiment, structure, information landscape, and stimulus, in-vitro cortical neural networks can exhibit primitive information processing and intelligence. Through the use of high-density copper metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) multi-electrode array (MEA) devices, a closed perception-action cycle loop can be achieved when coupled with the early video game of Pong. The MEA takes the electrical activity of the neurons and feeds it into a computer program as input. The outcome of the input in the virtual world is then fed back into the neurons and thus creating the closed loop. With neurons now exhibiting learning and information processing ability in an in-vitro setting, novel approaches to personalised medicine and the drug development affecting central nervous system (CNS) conditions are now possible.
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