Student Article
U.S. Lab Creates Living Robots That Are Capable of Self-Replicating
Replicate (verb): To make copies of something.
Simulation (noun): A computer program that imitates real-life processes.
Biodegradable (adjective): Able to be broken down by natural processes.
Microplastics (noun): Tiny pieces of plastic that pollute the environment.
The creation of xenobots, living robots made from frog cells, marks a significant advancement in robotics and biology. Let's delve into how these self-replicating robots work and their potential applications.
Meet the xenobots
Researchers in the U.S. have developed xenobots, living robots made from frog cells that can replicate themselves. These Pac-Man-shaped robots could have future applications in environmental cleanup and personalized medical treatments.
Designed by computers, powered by cells
The project began as a collaboration between developmental biologists and roboticists. Using computer simulations, scientists designed the shapes of the xenobots. Frog heart cells were chosen for their ability to move and change shape, resulting in the ability for a xenobot to walk or swim using these cells.
Smaller than a grain of sand
To create the xenobots, scientists harvest cells from frog eggs and shape them using specialized tools. The resulting xenobots are less than a millimeter across, smaller than a grain of sand. They can move around and push other cells into piles, creating new xenobots.
Big ideas for tiny bots
Xenobots are self-powered and biodegradable, making them suitable for various applications. In the future, they could help clean up microplastics in lakes or deliver medicine inside the body. Scientists are excited about the potential of these tiny robots and the new questions they raise in biology.
© Jason Goodyer / Our Media
Replicate (verb): To make copies of something.
Simulation (noun): A computer program that imitates real-life processes.
Biodegradable (adjective): Able to be broken down by natural processes.
Microplastics (noun): Tiny pieces of plastic that pollute the environment.