Biocomputing in Medical Electronics 800,000 Living Neurons Replace Silicon Chips

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Researchers use living neurons instead of silicon chips in the CL1 platform. These receive input, process information and generate electrical signals. The neurons learn complex tasks in minutes and consume little energy.

While the semiconductor industry is reaching its physical limits, the future of computing could lie in biological systems. Reply and the University of Milan have launched a promising research collaboration that has the potential to transform medical electronics. At the center is the CL1 platform from Cortical Labs. This is a biocomputer that uses 800,000 living human neurons as computing units.

The CL1 platform from the Australian biotechnology company Cortical Labs marks a fundamental paradigm shift in computer technology. In contrast to conventional silicon-based computer architectures, the computer platform uses the processing capacities of living human neurons that are coupled with software systems. The CL1 platform comprises around 800,000 neurons that receive input, process information and generate output in the form of electrical activity.

The system works on a planar electrode array and enables direct interaction between software and biological intelligence. The neurons develop independent connections with each other and can work for up to six months without maintenance. This is particularly interesting for energy-critical medical electronics: biological computing systems consume a fraction of the energy of conventional AI systems.

Learning Ability Surpasses Classic AI

Earlier studies by Cortical Labs impressively demonstrate the potential of biological computing units. Neural cultures can learn tasks such as the game Pong within a few minutes and with significantly fewer training examples than classic AI systems. This adaptive learning ability combined with extreme energy efficiency makes biocomputing a promising alternative for resource-critical applications in medical electronics.

The cooperation between Reply and the renowned Department of Medical and Surgical Pathophysiology at the University of Milan as well as the Centro Dino Ferrari and the Policlinico di Milano focuses on four central research areas. Firstly, the scientists are investigating the learning dynamics of biological neurons and their energy efficiency in comparison with traditional computer architectures.

At the same time, the focus is on the robustness, reproducibility and long-term stability of neuron-based computer systems. These are decisive factors for potential medical applications. The fourth research area deals with the practical implementation and integration into existing system landscapes.

"This initiative marks the beginning of a research program to explore new computing paradigms," explains Filippo Rizzante, CTO of Reply. "Our goal is to evaluate their potential practical impact and understand their implications in terms of solutions and benefits for organizations."

Breakthrough for Medical Electronics

The potential for medical electronics is diverse and far-reaching. "This collaboration opens a new chapter in the study of biological computing," explains Prof. Stefania Corti, Professor of Neurology at the University of Milan and Director of Neuromuscular and Rare Diseases at the Policlinico di Milano. "The integration of active neurons into digital systems creates unprecedented opportunities to study learning mechanisms and neuronal plasticity—with potential implications for both neuroscience research and computational innovation."

Brain-computer interfaces could be fundamentally changed by biological computing units, as they communicate natively with neurological signals. The extreme energy efficiency also opens up completely new possibilities for portable diagnostic devices and mobile health technologies, where energy consumption is often a limiting factor.

Interdisciplinary Research Approaches

Prof. Linda Ottoboni, researcher at the Department of Medical and Surgical Pathophysiology at the University of Milan, emphasizes the scientific possibilities: "Working with biological neurons in a computational context allows us to investigate fundamental questions about the processing and adaptation of information by neural networks. This interdisciplinary project combines neuroscientific expertise with state-of-the-art technologies and thus contributes to further developing our understanding of biological intelligence."

Prof. Carlo Capelli, Full Professor of Physiology at the University of Milan, sees the CL1 platform as "a unique option to study the physiological dynamics of neuronal networks in a controlled computational environment." A better understanding of information processing in biological systems at the cellular level could open up new perspectives for integrative physiological research.

Energy Efficiency As A Key Factor

Prof. Alberto Minetti, Professor of Physiology and Biomechanics at the University of Milan, emphasizes a decisive advantage: "From a biomechanical and physiological point of view, this project enables us to compare the energy efficiency of biological computational processes with artificial systems. The potential for investigating adaptive mechanisms in living neural networks is remarkable. For example, the results of simple dynamic equilibrium experiments can be achieved with a significantly smaller number of biological neurons."

This efficiency is particularly important in medical electronics, where energy consumption plays a critical role in implantable devices and mobile systems.

Market Maturity And Future Prospects

The CL1 platform is already commercially available and costs around 35,000 US dollars, making it accessible to research institutions and innovative companies. This shows that biocomputing has already made the leap from laboratory experiment to practical application.

While the semiconductor industry is struggling with rising development costs and physical limits, biocomputing could offer a sustainable alternative. The combination of evolutionarily optimized biological systems and modern electronics opens up completely new approaches for medical electronics—from energy-efficient implants and adaptive therapy systems to intelligent diagnostic devices.

The research collaboration between Reply and the University of Milan could point the way to how this revolutionary technology can be translated into practical medical applications. The question is no longer if, but when wetware will complement hardware in medical electronics. (heh)

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