Scientists build first artificial neuron that communicates with living cells
Mar 16th 2026
Researchers at UMass Amherst built an artificial neuron that runs at the same voltage and chemical sensitivities as biological cells, can respond to living tissue in real time, and could shrink power-hungry sensing hardware, though more testing is required.
- The device operates at biological voltages near 0.1 volts and matches neural timing and energy use.
- A memristor tuned with Geobacter sulfurreducens protein nanowires switches near 60 millivolts and 1.7 nanoamps and self-resets to mimic neural spikes.
- A capacitor-driven circuit creates brief spikes and a refractory period, enabling cascaded artificial neuron networks.
- Chemical sensors for sodium and dopamine modulate the firing rate, reproducing neuromodulation effects.
- The circuit picked up signals from cardiomyocytes and fired when the cells sped up, showing real-time interaction with living tissue.
- The design uses far less energy than earlier artificial neurons and is compatible with standard chip fabrication, but it still needs tests in real neurons and long-term stability studies.
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- Scientists create the first artificial neuron capable of communicating with the human brain www.earth.com
- Silicon Chips on the Brain: Researchers Announce a New Generation of Brain-Computer Interface | Columbia Engineering www.engineering.columbia.edu
- Brain Computer Interface Enables Rapid Communication for Two People with Paralysis www.massgeneralbrigham.org