Biohybrid Robots Could Change Lives

Shoji Takeuchi from  the University of Tokyo, along with his coauthors, have developed a biohybrid robot combining biological components with synthetic parts. Equipped with two legs and skeletal muscle tissue, the purpose of the robot stands to replicate the human gait and operate successfully underwater.

The structure of the robot consisted of a float to ensure an upright posture of the robot and 3D-printed legs to provide a center of rotation. It also included two flexible substrates stretching from the legs to the float. Anchors coated with fibronectin, a cell adhesion protein, allowed cultured skeletal muscle tissue to grow while immobilized. Skeletal tissue contractions are stimulated by manually moving electrodes to the muscle. The more hertz of energy applied to the muscle the more contractile force observed. When the skeletal muscle is relaxed the leg lands in a forward position due to the weights cleverly attached to the leg. Muscle contraction and relaxation thus allows the robot to move forward and slowly pivot.

The left and right legs were zapped in an alternating manner every five seconds and were able to walk 5.4 mm/min or 0.002 mph. The robot also achieved a 90 degree turn in 62 seconds proving that the muscle driven bipedal robot is capable of making fine-tuned motions. Takeuchi hopes that by integrating electrodes into the robot instead of the process being manual will increase the speed of the robot. 

Once a nutrient supply system is integrated to sustain living tissue, which Takeuchi deems necessary for the device to operate in the air, I believe that robots have the potential to be combined with bodily tissues to function work in conjunction instead of replacing damaged limbs with completely hard robots. As synthetic materials start to complement biological systems that are self-healing and naturally adaptable in robots, they will be able to mimic organisms’ motion resulting in application in medicine. Already established projects include a bacteria mediated drug delivery robot and a cardiac muscle cell-based swimming fish; it is certain that more are on their way and I long to be a part of innovation meeting biology in my future.