A scientist and businessman from Nigeria named Osh Agabi has a radical idea for the future of computing: making chips that are powered by living neurons. His business, Koniku, asserts to be the first and only manufacturer of these chips, which have potential uses in robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and security.
When Agabi was employed in Switzerland as a robotics engineer, he trained a robotic arm to classify items, which sparked his interest in neurology and machine learning. He subsequently pursued his PhD in bioengineering and his Masters in theoretical physics, concentrating on how to connect robots and neurons. He sought to develop a robotic arm that could be attached to an amputee and operated by their brain.
He soon discovered, though, that the available technology for coupling neurons and machines was constrained and ineffective. He pondered whether it was possible to reverse the process and improve machines rather than using neurons. After entering the San Francisco biotech accelerator IndieBio in 2015, he made the decision to launch Koniku.
With Koniku’s technique, neurons are grown in a lab and then integrated into silicon chips. To increase their stability and receptivity to electrical signals, the neurons have undergone genetic modification. The chips can then function similarly to the human brain in processing information and learning from their surroundings.
According to Agabi, his chips provide a number of benefits over standard silicon processors. They are more biocompatible, versatile, scalable, and energy-efficient. They can also complete tasks like pattern recognition, sensory perception, and decision-making that are challenging for conventional computers.
Customers from a variety of industries, including aviation, pharmaceuticals, and oil & gas, have already signed up with Koniku. In order to employ Koniku’s chips in drones that can find chemical leaks in oil refineries, for instance, Agabi claims that Boeing has signed a letter of intent to that effect. AstraZeneca, another client, plans to utilise the chips to simulate how medications affect the human brain.
Agabi thinks his chips could revolutionise the disciplines of biotechnology and artificial intelligence, as well as open up new avenues for human-machine communication. He imagines a time where computers are not just intelligent, but also alive.
Today, we want to honour Osh. You are a fantastic young man who possesses great intelligence. You are an excellent role model for the younger African and a true Rising African. Rising Africa is a vibrant platform that showcases the outstanding accomplishments of Africans around the world and gives youth in Africa the most recent information about scholarships and sponsorship opportunities. Our goal is to demonstrate the unique achievements and skills of Africans in a variety of disciplines, including technology, business, the arts and culture, and social activism, in order to motivate and empower the next generation of African leaders.
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