Full Tech Ahead

 It’s hard to ignore the contradiction at the heart of modern computing: We build ever-more robust AI systems while burning more energy to run them. As generative AI booms and cloud usage expands, data centers expand and more electricity is needed. With each leap in intelligence, we double down on a system that threatens to overheat globally. So what if the future of computing wasn’t silicon? What if it were alive?

Fred Jordan, physicist and founder of FinalSpark, is doing more than asking the question. His team is answering it by working to build the first living processors. These systems use real human neurons, cultivated from stem cells, to perform computation. That means replacing digital simulations with biological brains-on-a-chip. It’s an entirely new category of computing, and designed to solve AI’s energy problem. Fred walks us through how it works, why it matters, and where this frontier could take us.

 
Quotes: 

1. “We realized that biological neurons are one million times more power-efficient than their digital counterparts.” 
2. “This is going to be a new industry—moving from digital to biology for processing information.” 
3. “If you do all this right, you may have fruitful discussions with those neurons.” 

 
Takeaways: 
 

• Explore how living neurons could replace silicon in specific types of AI processing. 
• Understand the scientific and technical complexity of building and sustaining living processors. 
• Learn how Final Spark is opening its platform to researchers around the world to accelerate breakthroughs. 
• Consider the long-term ethical and technological implications of training biological brains for computational tasks. 

 
 
Timestamps: 

[00:02] Fred Jordan’s origin story and the idea behind Final Spark:  

[01:01] The power problem in AI simulations: 

[02:53] Building brain organoids and connecting them to electrodes:

[04:17] The technical challenges of sustaining neuron life:  

[06:26] What a bio server is and how it works: 

[07:38] How living processors can reshape sustainability: 

[08:36] The future of training biological neurons: 

[10:20] Live neuron activity and open access to researchers: 

[11:24] Early commercial applications and research partnerships: 

[11:55] Why this work matters beyond the lab: 

 
Conclusion: 

Fred Jordan isn’t building faster computers—he’s building different ones. By growing neurons and training them to compute, he’s laying the groundwork for a future where biology replaces transistors in parts of our digital world. It’s still early, but the implications are enormous. In an era defined by data and electricity, Final Spark’s approach offers something radical: intelligence that doesn’t drain the grid. 

 
Links/Resources: 

Website: https://finalspark.com 

Live Neuron Activity: https://finalspark.com/live 

Fred Jordan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-jordan-44410a15/ 

For more deep dives into breakthrough technologies transforming our future, visit: https://www.fulltechahead.com. 

Find Amanda Razani on LinkedIn.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-razani-990a7233/

Follow the FTA LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/full-tech-ahead/

Visit the FTA website: https://fulltechahead.com/

Check out the Substack Channel: https://fulltechahead.substack.com/

It’s jarring to think that in an age of drones and robotics, we still have people dangling from heights to do work that could kill them. Every time a worker scales a skyscraper or repaints a bridge, there’s this unspoken gamble with their life, just to keep things running or looking clean. And while the bravery is real, so is the risk—one mistake, one gust of wind, and everything can change. It makes you wonder why we haven’t moved faster to replace these jobs with machines built to take the fall instead. 

Robert Dahlstrom, founder of Apellix, turned a frustrating paint job into a drone tech startup tackling industrial tasks like power washing and painting. Starting with makeshift prototypes in his garage, he’s now leading innovations used in sectors from oil and gas to defense. Today, he shares how Apellix’s drones boost safety and efficiency while cutting costs. He also highlights advanced uses like Army decontamination and eco-friendly coatings. His story blends garage tinkering with serious tech, solving real-world problems. 

Quotes: 

• "Without software, the drone is just a brick—it doesn't do much of anything. The software is what makes it special, what makes it magical, what enables it to do the amazing things it's able to do out there in the world." 
• "My mission is to push this into the world and get people down from elevation, put their feet on the ground where they're safe, and have the robots out there doing the work instead."

Takeaways: 

• Explore innovative solutions to dangerous workplace tasks by studying how technology can replace high-risk manual labor. 
• Investigate potential industry-specific applications for autonomous drone technology in your field, focusing on safety and efficiency gains. 
• Challenge yourself to think about unmet technical challenges where precision robotics could solve complex problems currently done by humans. 

Timestamps: 

[00:02] How a DIY Paint Job Sparked a Drone Startup 

[03:14] What It Took to Launch a Drone for Painters 

[06:10] Real Work Done by Drones in High-Risk Jobs 

[08:47] Wild Ways Drones Are Solving Real Problems 

[16:32] What Makes These Industrial Drones So Safe 

[16:53] How Drones Are Cutting Pollution and Waste 

[21:04] Why This Drone Tech Is Just Getting Started 

Conclusion: 

Drone technology is changing how industrial work gets done by making tasks safer, faster, and more affordable. Beyond the machines themselves, the real progress comes from smart software that lets drones handle detailed tasks like cleaning, painting, and repair work on their own. This reduces the need for people to work in risky conditions and helps companies cut down on maintenance costs. As these tools continue to improve, they are becoming a practical solution for industries looking to boost safety and performance at the same time. 

We would like to thank our founding sponsor https://cloudnium.net/

Links/Resources: 

Website: https://www.apellix.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobdahlstrom/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/aerial-robotics-transform-industrial-maintenance/ar-AA1JU097?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=199471913c4143598957c9f623523b80&ei=6

If you're fascinated by breakthrough technology that solves real-world problems and want to explore more innovative solutions that save lives and transform industries, visit fulltechahead.com for exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and cutting-edge conversations with world-changing entrepreneurs. 

Find Amanda Razani on LinkedIn.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-razani-990a7233/

Follow the FTA LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/full-tech-ahead/

Visit the FTA website: https://fulltechahead.com/

Check out the Substack Channel: https://fulltechahead.substack.com/