Toward an ultimate goal of realizing a biocomputer using biological neurons, we constructed a prototype of an open source platform for neural organoid analysis and a demonstration model system.

Specific aims:
1. Development of a system that allows access to organoids from outside the laboratory
2. Considering parameters and theories for organoid functionality improvement
3. Public inclusion to research on functionalization of cultured neurons and organoids
4. Formation of research field/community
5. Public relations activity for organoid research and Institute for AI and Beyond

Interaction with the external world is important for living systems to acquire functions. By providing a virtual outside world and effectively return feed back to them according to certain rules, it is hypothesized that neurons could perform tasks by learning the environment, if it possesses similarity to our brains. However, there are various barriers to its realization, making it a great challenge.

In this study, a maze environment was virtually given to the neurons as an external world. By stimulating the nerves according to their state in the virtual maze, the neural organoids and the maze are placed in a closed-loop state. The hypothesis is that if the conditions can be adjusted so that the neural organoids receive feedback from the maze and the organoids can change accordingly, then the neural organoids could improve their “performance,” such as the time it takes to solve the maze.

In reality, however, it is unknown what kind of stimuli can cause cultured neural organoids to increase or decrease their activity or change their activity patterns. In order to explore and discuss what rules should be used for stimulation, a public platform named SynapTrek was developed by a joint team consisting of members from SoftBank and The University of Tokyo.

The possibilities are unlimited to provide various patterns of stimulation at various times, and SynapTrek users can choose and test stimulation patterns according to their own theories and methodologies to search for the basic rules of neural control using the maze task performance of neural organoids as an indicator. The system is designed for researchers who do not routinely culture neurons. By allowing researchers who do not routinely culture neurons to participate in the experiments, we believe we can accelerate research on functionalization of cultured neurons. It is also important for the promotion and pursuit of science in this field to achieve the “democratization” of cultured neuron/organoid functionalization research by opening the door, and to create the groundwork for sustainable development through the formation of research fields and communities.

As planned, we have completed the construction of a prototype neural organoid analysis open source platform and a demonstration model system. In addition, we achieved the promotion of "democratization" of cultured neuron/organoid functionalization research, and succeeded in forming a research field and community, through the use of the system and the symposium "Emerging Functionality of Cultured Neurons". Our near future outlook is to continue to maintain the excitement of the community and research we have formed, further develop our research and create the seeds of research that will contribute to industrialization.