Scientists have developed an artificial brain which learned to play the 1970s computer game Pong, with researchers saying they've created the first sentient mini-brain.
Stem cell research has allowed the growth of human brain cells under laboratory conditions, with the first 'mini-brain' developed in 2013.
Scientists at Cortical Labs took around 800,000 of the cells - with some coming from mouse embryos - and hooked it up to a version of Pong with the use of electrodes.
Known as 'DishBrain', it created its own electrical activity when interacting with the simple simulation.
This electrical activity decreased as time went on, but increased when the ball went out and started in a new location - indicating that the brain was learning how to play the game.
Though it often missed the ball, its success rate was well above random chance and the researchers say it mastered Pong in five minutes.
However, the brain does not have consciousness and does not know it is playing the game in the same way that we do.
While some are hesitant to describe the mini-brain as sentient, Dr Brett Kagan writes in the scientific paper on the experiment "we could find no better term to describe the device".
They plan to test the effects of alcohol on the brain's ability to play Pong in future experiments.
Last year researchers at Heinrich-Heine-University's Institute for Human Genetics in Düsseldorf grew a mini-brain with rudimentary eyes, which were able to receive "some kind of visual information".
It's hoped that research of this kind could one day be used to treat conditions like Alzheimers
It's expected that as the technology improves the mini-brains will become even more complex.
That could lead to improvements in robotics and other areas, but Cortical Labs have been working with bioethecists to ensure they don't accidentally create a brain with consciousness, which would raise huge ethical issues.
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