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Innovative Biohybrid Swimming Robot Developed Using Human Cells for Muscle Functionality

Introduction

Scientist from Brigham and Women's Hospital in the U.S. and the iPrint Institute in Switzerland have teamed up to develop a tiny swimming robot that uses human motor neurons and cardiomyocytes to simulate muscle tissue functionality.

Research Overview

Their research has been published in Science Robotics. In the same issue, Nicole Xu, a mechanical engineer at the University of Colorado Boulder, authored a Focus article discussing ongoing efforts to develop bioinspired robots using animal tissue.

The Inspiration Behind Biohybrid Robots

Science fiction writers and filmmakers have long envisioned combining electronics, computing, and animal tissue to create robots with distinctive, often fearsome traits. According to Xu, such work is currently underway in the real world.

Challenges in Robotic Dexterity

The abilities of animals, particularly humans, exceed the capacities of robots by a significant margin. A simple task like doing laundry illustrates this, requiring multiple skills such as sorting garments, setting washer and dryer cycles, and folding or hanging clothes.

The Biohybrid Robot Design

Engineering the Ray-Like Robot

The coordination of dexterity and cognitive abilities is essential for such tasks, leading roboticists to explore Biohybrid robots. In response, the team engineered a Ray-Like swimming robot with a computer-driven brain that manages human muscle cells activated by motor neurons.

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Creating the Robot's Muscle Tissue

Researchers used human pluripotent stem cells to culture motor neurons and cardiomyocytes in creating the robot. The cardiomyocytes were then guided to grow into muscle tissue on a scaffold designed to resemble ray fins, enabling interaction with motor neurons.

Innovations in Control Systems

Developing Electrical Synapses

The development of electrical synapses was enabled, and portion of the motor neurons were connected to an electronic processor functioning as the robot's brain. This processor incorporated Wi-Fi technology to transmit commands from human controllers to either fin.

Achieving Swimming Capability

This technique allowed the researchers to command the robot's movements, leading to its ability to swim. As the research progressed, the team discovered they could expertly maneuver the robot, enabling sharp turns and swimming at speeds reaching 0.52 ± 0.22 mm/s.

Conclusion

The development of this Biohybrid swimming robot marks a significant advancement in robotics, merging biological elements with engineering to enhance robotic functionality.

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