A server rack in Singapore is processing information with living human neurons.

NUS Medicine, data centre operator DayOne, and Melbourne-based Cortical Labs have deployed a 20-unit biological computing rack at the National University of Singapore’s Life Sciences Institute. The system went live July 16 and was formally unveiled Aug. 17 after an Aug. 6 demonstration for more than 80 guests.

The installation brings biological computing into a live research environment as Singapore expands data-centre capacity while tightening energy-efficiency requirements. NUS Medicine said the demonstration showed CL1 computing units, microelectrode-array integration, and real-time neural network activity, while The Straits Times reported details of the system’s operation and maintenance.

How the biological computing rack works
Each CL1 combines living human neurons with silicon hardware and a microelectrode interface. The neurons grow across a chip that sends and receives electrical impulses, while Cortical Labs’ software creates a digital environment through which neural activity can interact with software.

The biological component also requires life support. NUS technicians feed the cultures every three days, while the CL1 regulates their environment. Cortical Labs says the neurons can remain viable for up to six months.

NUS describes the deployment as the world’s first independently operated biologically integrated server rack. Cortical Labs’ earlier DishBrain research connected human and rodent neurons to a simulated game of Pong. A peer-reviewed 2022 study reported apparent learning under closed-loop feedback but did not demonstrate general intelligence or readiness for enterprise workloads.

NUS plans to explore drug discovery, neurological disease research, and biological modelling. Cortical Labs has also identified robotics, cybersecurity, and fraud detection as areas for further research.

Read More: Singapore Switches On Biological Computing Rack With Living Human Neurons