SCIENCE IS SO KEWL!!! Growing New Brains With Infrared Light [Exclusive]
Growing new brains with infrared light [exclusive]
May 24, 2013
Illustration of the “neuronal beacon” for guiding axon growth direction (credit: B. Black et al./Optics Letters)
University of Texas Arlington scientists have discovered a way to control the growth or repair of neurons and neuron circuits, using a non-invasive “neuronal beacon” (near-IR laser beam) — essentially rewiring brains, or even creating new ones.
This major discovery, just published today in Optics Letters, promises to enable several new applications, UT Arlington assistant professor of physics Samarendra Mohanty said in an exclusive interview with KurzweilAI:
Building highly precise 3D neural circuits in-vitro as a model for future supercomputers using neuromorphic chips (or even using the neurons themselves in an artificially grown biological computer).
Brain activity mapping, in combination with precision stimulation and imaging tools such as the fiber-optic, two-photon, optogenetic stimulator and label-free phase imaging developed by Mohanty.