This has been posted a few times recently and certainly looks intriguing, but as far as we can tell, there only there-there is a signup list.<p>For a good HN thread, we should probably wait until the product is available—or at least for more information?<p>Edit: looks like there was some sort of earlier discussion at:<p><i>Melbourne startup launches 'biological computer' made of human brain cells</i> - <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43261218">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43261218</a> - March 2025 (37 comments)<p>The comments are pretty generic, which is the sort of thread we get in the absence of more significant information, so I think waiting is probably the right call. Disagreement is welcome though!
The Thought Emporium, a YouTube channel, has some videos that demonstrate how something like this could be built:<p>Growing Rat neurons to play DOOM (unfinished): part 1 -- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEXefdbQDjw;" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEXefdbQDjw;</a> part 2 -- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-pWliufu6U" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-pWliufu6U</a><p>Growing human neurons: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2YDApNRK3g" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2YDApNRK3g</a>
Can't wait for the inevitable "this blog is hosted on human brain cells" HN post when someone actually gets their hands on one of these.
"Real neurons" but whose neurons are they sourcing? And are all neurons born equal?
Should we have a NeuronArena where people submit samples for eval?<p>@dang, agreed that the product cannot be discussed on technical merits as of now, but I suggest some of the ancillary topics (irrelevant of their technical implementation) such as neuron sourcing might be worth opening.
Very interesting, I had to re-read it a few times to make sure it was real and not some elaborate prank. I actually wrote a Philosophy paper where there was a computer that had a biological component, and this is almost exactly what I had in mind, very neat to see that there is a company out there making it.
Also covered in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txtDpCLHUkU" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txtDpCLHUkU</a>
> the first code deployable biological computer<p>First? C'mon, Anodyne was doing this back in the mid-80s[1]!<p>[1]: <a href="https://www.mysteryfleshpitnationalpark.com/post/637699886736883712/" rel="nofollow">https://www.mysteryfleshpitnationalpark.com/post/63769988673...</a>
From the website:<p><i>> In vitro neurons learn and exhibit sentience when embodied in a simulated gameworld</i><p>I can't tell if this whole thing is an art project or a real product.
Isn't it weird that they don't actually show what you can do with it?<p>I mean, I guess they have some capabilities mentioned in papers a few pages back in their website, but it doesn't pass the skink test of, "OK, show me how it works."<p>IDK, give me an actual code snippet right on the front page, or shut up.<p>I'm obviously not the target audience, but their marketing is aligned with the sort of "we made this look pretty because we want as many people remotely interested as possible to buy this thing."<p>Otherwise it could have been a lot more plain, and people seeking out this sort of technology would have found it.