Wetwear
Summary
This episode explores biological computing, featuring Han Wang-chung’s Cortical Labs, which uses living human neurons to play video games like Pong and Doom. Host Gregory Warner discusses how this "wetware" technology could revolutionize robotics by enabling embodied intelligence and potentially lead to artificial general intelligence. The conversation also touches on the ethical implications and future applications of merging biology with machine learning.
Topics discussed
Sponsor message from Accenture
Introduction: The evolution of computers and public perception
Introducing the concept of biological computers
Han Wang-chung's discovery of brain tissue on chips
The anatomy and function of the wetware computer
Training neurons to play Pong using reward and punishment
Ethical concerns and the 'silent treatment' for neurons
Applications: Drug testing and efficiency vs. AI
Sponsors: Nespresso, Indeed, and Perfect Bistro
Moravec's Paradox and the limits of current robotics
Minas Liarokapas and biological robot skin
Embodied intelligence and the path to superintelligence
Future implications: Brain-computer interfaces and augmentation
Outro and support for Longview and Reflector
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