Engineered biological neural networks as basic logic operators

Abstract

We present an in vitro neuronal network with controlled topology capable of performing basic Boolean computations, such as NAND and OR. Neurons cultured within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microstructures on high-density microelectrode arrays (HD-MEAs) enable precise interaction through extracellular voltage stimulation and spiking activity recording. The architecture of our system allows for creating non-linear functions with two inputs and one output. Additionally, we analyze various encoding schemes, comparing the limitations of rate coding with the potential advantages of spike-timing-based coding strategies. This work contributes to the advancement of hybrid intelligence and biocomputing by offering insights into neural information encoding and decoding with the potential to create fully biological computational systems.

Footnotes

• Figure 1A was updated to match the schematic in Figure 1B. Section Results was updated to clarify the spatial and time distribution of the spikes detected in the output with referencing an additional supplementary figure.Author contributions were updated. References were added in Introduction and Discussion sections.

The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.