Wetware computer

|263x263px cultured brain cells, highlighting connections between neurons. This structure reflects biological systems with Red stain highlighting neurites (axons and dendrites) and blue stain marks cell nuclei process information in wetware & organic computing. A wetware computer is an organic computer (which can also be known as an artificial organic brain or a neurocomputer) composed of organic material "wetware" such as "living" neurons. Wetware computers composed of neurons are different than conventional computers because they use biological materials, and offer the possibility of substantially more energy-efficient computing. While a wetware computer is still largely conceptual, there has been limited success with construction and prototyping, which has acted as a proof of the concept's realistic application to computing in the future. The most notable prototypes have stemmed from the research completed by biological engineer William Ditto during his time at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His work constructing a simple neurocomputer capable of basic addition from leech neurons in 1999 was a significant discovery for the concept. This research was a primary example driving interest in creating these artificially constructed, but still organic brains.

|263x263px]] cultured brain cells, highlighting connections between neurons. This structure reflects biological systems with Red stain highlighting neurites (axons and dendrites) and blue stain marks cell nuclei process information in wetware & organic computing.]] A wetware computer is an organic computer (which can also be known as an artificial organic brain or a neurocomputer) composed of organic material "wetware" such as "living" neurons. Wetware computers composed of neurons are different than conventional computers because they use biological materials, and offer the possibility of substantially more energy-efficient computing. While a wetware computer is still largely conceptual, there has been limited success with construction and prototyping, which has acted as a proof of the concept's realistic application to computing in the future. The most notable prototypes have stemmed from the research completed by biological engineer William Ditto during his time at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His work constructing a simple neurocomputer capable of basic addition from leech neurons in 1999 was a significant discovery for the concept. This research was a primary example driving interest in creating these artificially constructed, but still organic brains.

Ethical and philosophical implications

Wetware computers may have substantial ethical implications, for instance related to possible potentials to sentience and suffering and dual-use technology. Moreover, in some cases the human brain itself may be connected as a kind of "wetware" to other information technology systems which may also have large social and ethical implications, including issues related to intimate access to people's brains. For example, in 2021 Chile became the first country to approve neurolaw that establishes rights to personal identity, free will and mental privacy. The concept of artificial insects may raise substantial ethical questions, including questions related to the decline in insect populations. It is an open question whether human cerebral organoids could develop a degree or form of consciousness. Whether or how it could acquire its moral status with related rights and limits may also be potential future questions. There is research on how consciousness could be detected. As cerebral organoids may acquire human brain-like neural function subjective experience and consciousness may be feasible. Moreover, it may be possible that they acquire such upon transplantation into animals. A study notes that it may, in various cases, be morally permissible "to create self-conscious animals by engrafting human cerebral organoids, but in the case, the moral status of such animals should be carefully considered".

See also

Artificial neural network Brain in a vat Chemical computer Quantum computer Unconventional computing Wetware (brain) Biosensor Biological computing Machine olfaction Neural processing unit (NPU) Organoid intelligence

External links

Biological computer born Neurocomputers - computers are far from comparable to human brain (Discover Magazine, September 2000¹) New material discovered for organic computers Wetware: A Computer in Every Living Cell

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