Scientists teach dish of human brain cells to play Pong

Melbourne scientists have trained a dish of human brain cells to play the video game Pong, in a world-first.

Their work, published in journal Neuron today, focuses on a “cyborg” with fewer neurons than a bumblebee’s brain.

The study’s lead author, chief scientific officer of biotech start-up Cortical Labs, Dr Brett Kagan, says the research is “basically using electrical information to just provide signals”.

“In your brain at the moment, everything you receive is as a result of electrical signals, so what we’re trying to do is represent that, but on a dish.”

Dr Kagan says many questions arise from the breakthrough, and it could be an AI gamechanger.

Press PLAY below to hear how the scientists got the cells to play Pong 

Image: Microscope image of connections forming between neurons – Cortical Labs