For a good HN thread, we should probably wait until the product is available—or at least for more information?
Edit: looks like there was some sort of earlier discussion at:
Melbourne startup launches 'biological computer' made of human brain cells - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43261218 - March 2025 (37 comments)
The comments are pretty generic, which is the sort of thread we get in the absence of more significant information, so I think waiting is probably the right call. Disagreement is welcome though!
@dang, agreed that the product cannot be discussed on technical merits as of now, but I suggest some of the ancillary topics (irrelevant of their technical implementation) such as neuron sourcing might be worth opening.
That is one of the reasons why the "buy" CTA dispatches to a contact form. They can and must vet potential customers.
Growing Rat neurons to play DOOM (unfinished): part 1 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEXefdbQDjw; part 2 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-pWliufu6U
Growing human neurons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2YDApNRK3g
I mean, I guess they have some capabilities mentioned in papers a few pages back in their website, but it doesn't pass the skink test of, "OK, show me how it works."
IDK, give me an actual code snippet right on the front page, or shut up.
I'm obviously not the target audience, but their marketing is aligned with the sort of "we made this look pretty because we want as many people remotely interested as possible to buy this thing."
Otherwise it could have been a lot more plain, and people seeking out this sort of technology would have found it.
First? C'mon, Anodyne was doing this back in the mid-80s[1]!
[1]: https://www.mysteryfleshpitnationalpark.com/post/63769988673...
> In vitro neurons learn and exhibit sentience when embodied in a simulated gameworld
I can't tell if this whole thing is an art project or a real product.
