Swiss startup opens access to world's first living computer for universities worldwide

Swiss startup FinalSpark is pioneering the development of the world’s first living computer by using clusters of human brain cells called organoids to perform simple computational tasks. These organoids, derived from reprogrammed human skin cells and containing about 10,000 neurons each, are maintained in nutrient-rich solutions and connected to electrodes that translate neural activity into electrical signals analogous to digital binary code. Unlike traditional silicon-based processors, these living bioprocessors demonstrate basic learning behaviors and can be trained using dopamine to reinforce neural responses, mimicking biological learning processes. This approach promises vastly greater energy efficiency—biological neurons are estimated to be one million times more energy-efficient than artificial ones—potentially addressing the high power consumption challenges of current AI models. Despite these advances, maintaining living computers remains challenging due to the fragility of organoids, which lack blood vessels and cannot be rebooted once they die; their lifespan currently maxes out at about four months. Researchers observe a final burst of neural activity before organoid