When Dr. Steven D. Harbour, Senior Scientist at Parallax Advanced Research and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, describes his latest invention as a “Living Microprocessor™,” he isn’t speaking metaphorically. His work is literally redefining the boundary between biology and computing, developing processors that do not just calculate—but sense, heal, adapt, and evolve.
Caption: Dr. Steven D. Harbour, Senior Scientist at Parallax Advanced Research and the Ohio Aerospace Institute
From Silicon to Living Systems
Traditional processors, no matter how advanced, remain rigid. They process inputs, execute programs, and fail when conditions degrade. Dr. Harbour’s concept takes a fundamentally different approach: a biologically inspired material microprocessor that mimics life itself.
The Living Microprocessor™ integrates material innovations, both organic and inorganic, into a single architecture. Together, these materials create a processor that functions like a cognitive organism with near-zero latency and ultra-low power consumption. Unlike digital neuromorphic platforms, Harbour’s design introduces organic intelligence into the hardware itself. In practical terms, this means a processor that not only maintains function under noise, radiation, or physical damage but actually improves in adverse conditions.
The implications extend far beyond laboratory performance. Harbour envisions these processors as the backbone of next-generation human-machine teaming. This innovation could also apply to RF classification and improve data center scalability. Because the Living Processor is robust to radiation and electromagnetic interference, it is also ideally suited for space and electronic warfare environments. The Living Processor is a collaborative effort among Parallax, the University of Dayton, the University of Cincinnati, Rochester Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, and Brisk Computing.
A New Paradigm: Computing as a Cognitive Organism
“Dr. Harbour’s vision extends computing into a new biological dimension. This work is not an incremental advance but the disruptive foundation of a new paradigm—where processors no longer simulate intelligence; they embody it in their material form.”
As he describes it, the Living Processor represents “a processor as a cognitive organism—sensing, healing, evolving, and thriving in uncertainty”.
###
About Parallax Advanced Research & the Ohio Aerospace Institute
Parallax Advanced Research is a research institute that tackles global challenges through strategic partnerships with government, industry, and academia. It accelerates innovation, addresses critical global issues, and develops groundbreaking ideas with its partners. In 2023, Parallax and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, an aerospace research institute located in Cleveland, OH, formed a collaborative affiliation to drive innovation and technological advancements across Ohio and the nation. The Ohio Aerospace Institute plays a pivotal role in advancing aerospace through collaboration, education, and workforce development.