Monthly Archives: February 2013

Superintelligence

The technological singularity is nearly upon us! Ok, it’s not going to happen any time soon, but a neuroscience endeavor taking place in Europe, called the Human Brain Project (HBP), is receiving 1.5 billion dollars in funding to create an accurate simulation of the brain. More than 80 research institutions are working together to construct a complete human brain simulation that they hope will revolutionize neuroscience, medicine, and technology. If successful, this project could be the catalyst for incredible new technologies and could propel us into an age of innovation.

The project is focusing on three areas of research, the first of which is neuroscience. Modern neuroscience has been very productive in analyzing and understanding the brain, but it has been impossible to systematically study the brain because of its incredible complexity. Neither physical nor theoretical aspects of neuroscience can fully describe the brain, which is composed of 100 billion neurons connected by 100 trillion synapses. The human brain is the most complex machine on earth and one of the least understood. An accurate simulation of the brain would create a multi-level view of the brain, help us understand the chain of events leading from genes to cognition, and contribute greatly to our understanding of the mind.

Brain disease awareness has steadily grown over the past few decades and brain disease treatment has become an incredible burden on hospitals around the globe. In Europe, the treatment of brain diseases costs more than that of heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes combined. The HBP hopes to work closely with hospitals and use their brain simulation as a means for better treatment and diagnosis of brain diseases. Brain diseases are barely understood and the HBP would reveal the gene mutation process which leads to different brain diseases. An accurate simulation of the brain would also enable drug testing without the need for animal or human trials.

The HBP’s last area of focus is in computing. Limited computing power is the most obvious challenge facing the HBP, and the project will require super-computers one thousand times more powerful than the computers of today. The project hopes to create neuromorphic computers which will “combine the power of microelectronics with the flexibility of human intelligence.” The HBP hopes to physically model the human brain on computer chips in order to create computers that can adapt to new situations and change their behavior like a real brain.

If the HBP is successful, I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say that it would completely revolutionize technology. Sentient androids would leave the realm of science fiction and enter the world of reality. Robot butlers would be pretty sweet and you could have an actual conversation with Siri if you were bored. I’m pretty amazed that our brains are only one thousand times more powerful than current computing power, and if Moore’s law holds true, which it has for the last century, this could become a reality. A complete simulation of the human brain seems like something that is always 20 years away. It’s impossible to tell at this point whether or not this is feasible, but we’re definitely going to need John Connor if Google gets ahold of this technology.

Bioprinting

In two previous blogs, I talked about the growing impact of 3D printing and a technique which enabled adult stem cells to be transformed back into embryonic stem cells. 3D printing technology is already changing the world of manufacturing and now its revolutionizing biotechnology as well. Researchers at Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University developed a system for printing human embryonic stem cells. The technology could improve human drug testing and potentially create purpose-built replacement organs.

A team from Heriot-Watt’s Biomedical Microengineering group successfully printed human embryonic stem cells in a laboratory using a valve-based technique. The embryonic stem cells, which were stored in two separate reservoirs within the printer, were printed using pneumatic pressure. The stem cells were deposited onto a plate in a pre-programmed uniform pattern via the opening and closing of a micro valve and the number of cells dispensed was precisely controlled by adjusting nozzle diameter, air pressure, and opening time of the valve.

The human embyonic stem cells printed using the new valve-based technique developed at Her...

This new valve-based printing system was able to maintain high stem cell viability, and accurately produced spheroids of uniform size. More importantly, printed cells maintained their pluripotency, meaning they could still transform into any other type of cell.

3D stem cell printing has the potential to revolutionize modern biotechnology. Drug discovery primarily focuses on targeting human disease, so human tissues are vital in drug testing. Stem cell printing will allow the creation of accurate human tissue models, necessary for drug development and toxicity-testing.

Additionally, the technology could be used to create artificial organs and tissues. By incorporating a patient’s own stem cells, it could drastically reduce the risk of organ rejection and the need for immune suppression. 3D printed organs would also help solve the global organ shortage, which has inflated the price of black market kidneys above $150,000. Breakthroughs in stem-cell research, primarily the process of turning adult stem cells into embryonic stem cells, could eliminate ethical objections to the process. The group at Heriot-Watt has already teamed up with Roslin Cellab in an effort to commercialize 3D stem cell printing and change the biotechnology industry forever.

Is this technology exciting or do you think it will have little effect on stem cell / drug research? Would you be comfortable getting a printed organ transplant?

Anything plants can do we can do better

Who says we need more trees? Worldwide deforestation has had devastating effects on the environment and is thought to be rapidly accelerating the process of global warming. Panasonic is hoping to combat increasing carbon dioxide levels with a new process called artificial photosynthesis.

Artificial photosynthesis is a technology that uses sunlight to produce oxygen and organic substances from water and carbon dioxide. It is currently receiving global attention because it has the potential to solve global warming and provide renewable energy. The process has recently attained an efficiency of .2%, which is roughly equivalent to the efficiency of real plants used in biomass energy.

In artificial photosynthesis, a photo-electrode is filled with water and then illuminated, either by the sun or bright LEDs. The light causes the water molecules to react, producing oxygen gas, electrons, and hydrogen ions. Wires carry the electrons produced during the reaction to a catalyst electrode, where they react with carbon dioxide and hydrogen ions to produce organic substances. Currently, the reduction reaction produces primarily formic acid (HCOOH) but Panasonic hopes that in the future they will be able to produce a variety of other organic compounds.

2H2O + light → 2H+ + O2 + 2e

2H+ + 2e + CO2 → HCOOH

In order for the reaction to take place, electrons must be excited to a high energy-state. Panasonic is experimenting with nitride semiconductor LED lamps and sunlight as a means for exciting the electrons so that they will react with CO2. Additionally, by altering the material used for the metal catalyst, it is possible to change the organic substances produced in the reaction, so that it can produce more useful compounds than formic acid.

Panasonic would like to reach a level of efficiency similar to that of plants used in ethanol production before it begins implementing this technology on a large scale. The ultimate goal of the technology is the creation of artificial photosynthesis plants which would absorb CO2 from factories and produce ethanol.

Is this exciting technology or do you think that the efficiency is too low to make it a viable option? Will this “Pan” out?