00:00Artificial intelligence has reached a level such that it is now able to assist doctors in their diagnosis,
00:06to translate texts into almost any language, and even to generate works of art.
00:11However, it continues to rely on the same computer components of silicon that have been used since the 1950s.
00:17Some scientists estimate that it is time to cross a gap by designing computers from living matter.
00:24This emerging field, called bioinformatics, relies on technologies such as organoids,
00:30tiny amounts of cells grown in laboratories, to develop new forms of computers.
00:35A Swiss company, FinalSpark, has thus developed an innovative computer platform
00:41exploiting human brain organoids for information processing.
00:45This platform can be booked online for $ 500 per month,
00:48offering researchers the opportunity to carry out various tasks.
00:52The company's main goal, having designed this computer,
00:55is to develop an artificial intelligence capable of consuming 100,000 times less energy
01:00than the most powerful current AI systems.
01:03The brain organoids used by this new machine are barely half a millimeter in diameter,
01:09and each treatment unit contains four.
01:11These organoids are connected to eight thin electrodes,
01:14allowing signals to be transmitted to the neurons they contain.
01:18The electrodes also establish a connection with traditional computer systems.
01:22In order to stimulate learning, a low dose of dopamine,
01:26a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, is administered to the neurons,
01:29thus reproducing the natural learning process of the brain.
01:33Thanks to this combination of electrical signals and dopaminergic rewards,
01:37the organoids' neurons are able to form new connections,
01:41impressively imitating the functioning of the human brain.
01:44If this approach turns out to be conclusive,
01:46these organoids could ultimately play an equivalent role to that of processors in current computers,
01:52while accomplishing the same tasks with much higher energy efficiency.
01:56If you want to observe for yourself the functioning of these systems,
02:00the tiny organoids, similar to small brains,
02:03are broadcast live 24 hours a day, allowing everyone to follow their activities.
02:09The main challenge for researchers is to discover how to direct the neurons of these organoids
02:14so that they can accomplish the desired tasks.
02:16Scientists from 34 universities have expressed their interest in using FinalSpark's bio-computers,
02:23and the company has already authorized researchers from 9 establishments to start their work.
02:28Each team explores a specific aspect of bioinformatics.
02:31For example, the Michigan University team
02:34is committed to using electrical and chemical signals to control organoids,
02:39which could result in the creation of a language exclusively dedicated to these bio-computers.
02:44Researchers from the German branch of the University of Lancaster, at Leipzig,
02:48are working on the integration of organoids with various AI learning models.
02:53Organoid computers are not yet as efficient as current silicon computers.
02:59There is no standardized technology to produce these tiny organoids,
03:03and being made up of living cells, they are not eternal.
03:06To date, the organoids of FinalSpark have survived a hundred days,
03:11a clear advance compared to the first experiments,
03:14where their lifespan was limited to a few hours.
03:16However, the creation of organoids has considerably improved,
03:20and the laboratory currently has 2 to 3,000 of them.
03:24FinalSpark is not the only company trying to replace the traditional silicon chips.
03:29In Spain, Dr. Ángel Goni Moreno is dedicated to another field of bioinformatics,
03:35called cellular informatics.
03:37This approach involves using modified living cells
03:41to develop systems capable of memorizing, making decisions,
03:45and operating in a similar way to current-day computers.
03:49The researcher estimates that, thanks to their ability to react to environmental changes,
03:54cellular computers could contribute to the restoration of degraded ecosystems.
03:59Traditional computers are not suitable for this type of task,
04:02but a biocomputer made up of bacteria could, for example,
04:05be deployed in a lake to provide precise information on the state of the water,
04:10by reacting to various chemical substances and to the conditions present.
04:14Another researcher from the University of Western England, Andrew Adamatsky,
04:18explores the possibilities of using computer-generated mushrooms.
04:22The latter have filamentous structures called mycelium,
04:26capable of emitting weak electrical signals,
04:28similar to the functioning of human brain cells.
04:31This researcher envisages using these fungal networks
04:34to design a computer system inspired by the brain,
04:37capable of learning, recognizing patterns, and other advanced functions.
04:42His team has already managed to teach these networks
04:45to assist computers in solving mathematical problems.
04:49They believe that mushrooms could be a better alternative to brain cells,
04:53because their use is simpler, less expensive, more ethical,
04:58and integrates well with current technologies.
05:00While a computer based on human neurons is still in the experimental phase,
05:04scientists at the UC Davis Medical Center have developed a new computer brain interface,
05:10capable of converting brain signals into speech, with almost perfect precision.
05:15Up to 97%.
05:17The researchers have implanted sensors specialized in the brain of a patient
05:20suffering from speech disorders due to his state of health.
05:23As soon as the system was activated, this man was able to communicate his thoughts in a few minutes.
05:28For people with similar disorders,
05:31the device transforms brain signals into text,
05:35which is then displayed on a computer screen.
05:37The computer is then able to pronounce words out loud.
05:41To develop this system, the researchers have collaborated with a 45-year-old patient
05:45suffering from a weakness in his arms and legs,
05:49as well as a difficult speech,
05:51requiring assistance to communicate.
05:53A doctor has implanted a device specialized in the patient's brain,
05:58by inserting tiny sensors in the region involved in speech control.
06:02These sensors were designed to detect signals from 256 areas of the brain.
06:07The device then identifies the brain's attempts to activate the muscles related to speech.
06:12It interprets these signals and translates them into elementary sounds, such as syllables,
06:16which are then combined to form the words that the person wants to express.
06:20This innovation is just one example among others,
06:22illustrating the current trend of integrating computers into our clothes,
06:27or even directly into our body.
06:29New prostheses are no longer content with helping to grasp objects.
06:33They are also able to send a sensory feedback to the brain,
06:36indicating that a contact has been established.
06:38This transforms our perception of humanity,
06:41because an artificial limb can now connect to the brain,
06:44as if it were truly part of the body.
06:46According to specialists,
06:48tomorrow's computers will combine living organisms,
06:51physical objects,
06:52and digital technologies.
06:543D printing,
06:55biotechnology,
06:56mobility assistance robots,
06:59interconnected intelligent devices,
07:01autonomous cars,
07:02as well as various forms of artificial intelligence,
07:05will be even more ubiquitous than they are today.
07:08Evolutions are taking place at such a sustained rate
07:11that it is difficult to predict the state of the computer industry by 2030.
07:16However,
07:16experts agree that quantum computing,
07:20which integrates the principles of physics into the computer domain,
07:23will play an essential role.
07:25Computers could reach extreme miniaturization,
07:28to the point of becoming as small as an atom.
07:30Quantum computing should revolutionize our use of artificial intelligence,
07:35automatic learning,
07:36and research in megadata.
07:38This could result in even more precise purchase recommendations,
07:42and smarter home tools.
07:44In the medical field,
07:45it would accelerate the discovery of new treatments,
07:48thus helping to extend the lifespan,
07:51and improve the health of individuals.
07:53The impact of quantum computing will also extend to various sectors,
07:57such as the protection of private life,
07:59finance,
08:00health,
08:01or entertainment.
08:02It could transform working methods,
08:04leading to advances in robotics,
08:07to more sophisticated surgical tools,
08:09as well as to digital devices optimized for our work.
08:13In addition,
08:13it promises to perfect existing technologies
08:16by making supply chains more efficient,
08:19by improving traffic management,
08:21by facilitating financial planning,
08:23and by simplifying many processes.
08:26For a long time,
08:27computers have mainly operated in 2D,
08:30offering a flat experience,
08:31like the visualization of an image,
08:33or reading on a screen.
08:35If certain specific professions,
08:36such as 3D modeling,
08:38or design,
08:39already used 3D,
08:41this practice remained little known to the general public.
08:43But today,
08:44we are starting a transition towards the exploration of virtual worlds in 3D,
08:48where interactions are more like reality.
08:51Although virtual reality devices remain expensive and inaccessible,
08:55large companies are actively developing augmented reality headsets,
08:59and this technology should be democratized gradually.
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