Can it play Doom? This biocomputer built on human brain cells just learned to shoot demons, but not everyone's convinced
Summary
A groundbreaking development in neuroscience reveals that human brain cell cultures on a chip can play the video game Doom. However, experts raise intriguing questions about the implications and definitions of what it means to play a game.
Key Insights
How do lab-grown human brain cells control the game Doom without eyes or consciousness?
Researchers translate the game's visuals into electrical stimulation patterns sent to the neurons via a microelectrode array; the neurons respond with firing patterns that the system interprets as actions like moving, turning, or shooting.[1][3][5]
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[1]
Where do the human neurons used in this biocomputer come from, and are they conscious?
The neurons are derived from induced pluripotent stem cells reprogrammed from ordinary human cells like skin or blood, not directly from brains; they form a simple biological neural network without consciousness or resemblance to a full brain.[2][5]
Sources:
[1]