Human neurons on a chip have learned to play Doom

Doom has become a go-to test for new tech, and Cortical Labs returned to the challenge after growing living brain cells on a microchip to play Pong. This time the startup trained human neurons to control Doom on its CL1 device. The CL1 is described as "the world’s first code deployable biological computer." It uses human brain cells grown on the surface of a silicon chip to send and receive electrical signals.

Under a microscope the setup resembles a pockmarked surface with a web of cells and electrodes on top. The team translated the game’s video feed into patterns of electrical stimulation. When a demon appears on the left, electrodes stimulate the left side of the cell layer; the resulting neuronal activity is interpreted and mapped to in-game actions.

Different firing patterns instruct the character to move or to shoot. The cells can learn: they receive information, send commands, find enemies and shoot, but they behave like beginners who haven’t used a computer before.

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