Researchers at McGill University have developed a biocomputer powered by bacteria that can explore multiple solutions simultaneously while using fewer memory and computational resources than conventional electronic computers.
A research team led by McGill University has developed a bacteria-based biocomputer capable of solving large and complex problems through parallel processing. The technology could have potential applications in encryption, artificial intelligence (AI) and molecular biology, according to the researchers.
Unlike conventional electronic computers, which generally test possible solutions sequentially, the biocomputer uses rapidly multiplying bacteria to explore numerous possible solutions at the same time. As bacteria divide, they create additional biological processors, allowing the system to expand its computing capacity.
“Modern electronic computers make millions of operations per second using one chip,” said Dan Nicolau, senior author of the study and Professor of Bioengineering.
“With bacterial division, we have one million chips working at the same time. More chips mean you can resolve the problem faster, even if for each “processor,” the number of operations per second is slower.
“The exponential division of bacteria can go to the size of the problem. It’s an entirely new way of computing,” he said.
Bacteria Explore Multiple Solutions Simultaneously
The project emerged from a 20-year collaboration involving researchers and institutions in Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia.
To develop the biocomputer, the researchers converted a traditional mathematical problem into a graph representing different possible choices. They then recreated this graph as a network of small, interconnected channels through which bacteria could travel.
Each route in the network represented a potential solution, while specially designed junctions, known as logic gates, served as decision points.
As the bacteria multiplied and moved through the channels, they collectively explored multiple routes simultaneously. This allowed the system to test a large number of possible solutions in parallel.
The researchers controlled bacterial growth by adjusting the computer’s temperature to prevent overcrowding within the network.
They then monitored the bacteria’s movement and used automated image analysis to identify the routes they followed. By tracing the successful paths, the team could determine combinations that satisfied the problem’s constraints.
Biocomputer Offers a Resource-Efficient Alternative
The researchers said the technology is not intended to replace conventional electronic or quantum computers. Instead, it could serve as a cost-effective and resource-efficient tool for tackling problems that are difficult to solve using existing computing approaches.
“Our way is tailored for problems that electronic computers are not designed to solve, such as mapping the structure of proteins,” Nicolau said.
“It was reported that AI figured this out, but this is only half-true, because it can only scan the available data. We propose this technology to solve problems, not estimate based on past information.”
The approach uses the ability of bacteria to multiply and explore different possibilities, offering a distinct method of computation compared with conventional electronic systems.
Study Published in Nature Microengineering and Nanosystems
The research was published in Nature Microengineering and Nanosystems under the title Amplification of computational power by the multiplication of bacteria exploring microfluidic networks encoding mathematical problem.
The study was authored by Ayyappasamy Sudalaiyadum Perumal, Falco C. M. J. M. van Delft, Giulia Ippoliti, Ondřej Kašpar, Viola Tokárová, Monalisha Nayak, Matthew Cho, Jessica Li, Anja van Langen-Suurling, Charles de Boer, Frank Dirne, Dan V. Nicolau Jr and Dan V. Nicolau.
The research received funding from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, an Australian Future Fellowship and the European Union.
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