The classic ritual of running DOOM on any imaginable platform has just surpassed a new limit: biology. The startup Cortical Labs has shown a video where its CL-1 system, a chip with thousands of human neurons cultivated, is capable of interacting with id Software's shooter. This project comes after the same team managed to teach brain cells to play Pong.
A Python API to program neural tissue 🤖
Cortical Labs developed an interface that allows programming its biological computer CL-1 using Python. An independent developer, Sean Cole, used this tool and the company's cloud platform to train the neurons with DOOM in approximately one week. The system provides sensory information to the cells and they send signals to move the character and perform actions, showing basic navigation and combat capabilities.
The player with the most gray matter in history? ðŸ§
That said, don't expect tournament-worthy games. The researchers admit that the performance resembles that of an absolute beginner who has never seen a computer. The cells die frequently, but they show signs of learning, such as seeking enemies and shooting. At least we can say it's the only DOOM player that literally thinks with neurons, even if they are in a Petri dish.