Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have built an artificial neuron that works almost exactly like a real one in the brain. Their study, published in Nature Communications, shows how electronics and biology can now connect more naturally than ever before.
How It Works
Real neurons send tiny electrical signals at very low energy. Until now, artificial neurons needed much more power, which made them very different from the biological ones they were meant to copy. The UMass team solved this problem by using protein nanowires from a special bacterium. These nanowires conduct electricity so efficiently that the artificial neuron now fires at the same low voltages as real neurons.
Acting Like a Brain Cell
The device doesn’t just produce electrical signals—it also acts like a neuron in motion. It integrates signals, fires quickly, and then pauses briefly before firing again. In this way, the artificial neuron mirrors the refractory period that controls signaling in natural brain cells.
Talking to Living Cells
What makes this breakthrough even more exciting is how the artificial neuron responds to chemicals such as dopamine and ions, just like biological neurons do. The researchers connected the device to human heart cells and showed that it could communicate with them in real time. When the cells changed their activity—under the influence of the drug norepinephrine—the artificial neuron detected and responded immediately.
Why It Matters
This research proves that electronics can now match the speed, energy use, and sensitivity of biology. In the future, scientists could use artificial neurons to build smarter prosthetics, create more natural brain implants, and design hybrid systems where living and artificial neurons work side by side.
