Reply and University of Milan Launch Biological Computing Research
Reply is collaborating with the University of Milan on experimental research using Cortical Labs' CL1 platform. The project will investigate biological computing by integrating living neurons with digital technologies.
IT consulting firm Reply has initiated a collaboration with the Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation at the University of Milan. The research initiative aims to explore novel approaches to learning and information processing by integrating biological systems and digital technologies.
The core of the initiative is the CL1 biological computer developed by Cortical Labs. This technology leverages living human neurons integrated with software systems, diverging from conventional silicon-based architectures. The CL1 platform comprises approximately 800,000 neurons that process information and interact directly with software.
Building on prior studies demonstrating that neuronal cultures can learn the game Pong rapidly with fewer training examples than conventional AI, the Reply–University of Milan project will analyze the learning dynamics of biological neurons. It will also compare their energy efficiency against traditional computing and assess the robustness and stability of neuron-based systems.
"This initiative represents the starting point of an advanced research program aimed at exploring new computational paradigms and their potential practical impact," stated Filippo Rizzante, CTO of Reply. Professor Stefania Corti from the University of Milan added that "the integration of active neurons with digital systems offers unprecedented opportunities to investigate learning mechanisms."