Australian company launches $35K lab-grown brain computer

Cortical Labs, an Australian company, has launched the CL1, a computer powered by lab-grown human brain cells. Priced around $35,000, it is available for pre-order and can also be rented through a service called "Wetware-as-a-Service." The CL1 features lab-grown neurons on a glass-and-metal electrode array, connected to 59 electrodes. It is housed in a life support unit that mimics bodily functions, allowing the neurons to survive for up to six months while interacting with software in real time. Cortical Labs claims that biological computers like the CL1 could outperform digital AI in understanding intelligence. The technology may aid research in drug development and disease modeling by simulating neurological processes.