Cortical Labs is launching two data centers powered by

A data center
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Cortical Labs, the Australian technology firm that developed the CL1 biological computer, has recently disclosed a fresh alliance to build data facilities with its pilot system, Bloomberg indicates. The biotech company has partnered with data center company DayOne to establish the two data centers, powered by the ‘body-in-the-box’ CL1s, in Australia and Singapore.

This isn’t the first we’ve seen from Cortical Labs in the last twelve months. This enterprise was already noted by us via the CL1’s launch this past March, featuring a revision just one week ago that displayed its ability to play DOOM. Now, the Australian startup is looking at a more practical use for its product, thanks to these new data centers.

The CL1 modules are comprised of a silicon microchip with 200,000 laboratory-cultivated human neurons ‘developed’ on the surface, originally transformed from human blood cells. Like the complex array of cells in the human brain, these neurons respond to electrical stimuli to and from the chip, forming networks like the neural arrays in our own brains. The setup demonstrates a capacity to learn and adjust, as the CL1 features life-sustaining mechanisms that maintain the environment needed for the neurons to stay viable for as long as six months.

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An installation in Melbourne, Australia, is set to include 120 CL1 units, yet it anticipates its collaborative venture in Singapore with DayOne will feature up to 1,000 units, even though “in phases,” as stated by founder and CEO Hon Weng Chong. A starting batch of 20 CL1 units will be utilized in a “initial validation phase” at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore.

From an industrial point of view, the CL1 could have potentially significant advantages over traditional computing, especially as companies search for ways to significantly increase capacity for AI without the huge Rise in power usage. The neural methodology utilized by the CL1 consumes significantly less power than a standard computer, as stated by Cortical Labs, using only a small portion of the energy required by traditional AI processors – even less than what a portable calculator needs, According to Hon. These units are individually priced at around $35,000 each, based on Cortical Labs’ launch details.

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Ben Stockton
Deals Writer