📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

These 'Biohybrid' Robots Crawl Like Sea Turtles "We're building a living machine -- a biohybrid robot," project lead Victoria Webster said.

By Angela Moscaritolo

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on PCMag

Pacific Press | Getty Images

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University are making progress towards their goal of developing a completely organic robot.

The team, led by PhD student Victoria Webster, combined tissue from a sea slug with 3D-printed components to create what they call "biohybrid" robots that can crawl like sea turtles on the beach, according to a news release from the school.

"We're building a living machine -- a biohybrid robot that's not completely organic -- yet," Webster said.

The researchers used a muscle from the mouth of a California sea slug called aplysia californica and connected it to the robot's 3D-printed polymer arms and body. They opted for the sea slug because of its adaptability: it can withstand major temperature and salinity changes unlike mammal and bird muscles, which are much more finicky.

The result of their work: "a robot that can manage different tasks than an animal or a purely manmade robot could," according to Roger Quinn, engineering Professor and Director of Case Western Reserve's Biologically Inspired Robotics Laboratory.

The robot moves as the muscle, controlled by an external electrical field, contracts and releases, swinging the 3D-printed arms back and forth. The thing is super slow -- it only moves about 0.4 centimeters a minute -- but it moves.

In the future, the researchers say that swarms of these biohybrid robots could be unleashed to locate the source of a toxic leak in a pond, for instance, or search the ocean floor for a black box flight recorder.

"We want the robots to be compliant, to interact with the environment," Webster said. "One of the problems with traditional robotics, especially on the small scale, is that actuators -- the units that provide movement -- tend to be rigid."

Fully organic robots would be even better for these tasks. If they were lost after a mission, no sweat: the researchers reckon they won't cost much or pollute the environment with metals or chemicals.

Angela Moscaritolo has been a PCMag reporter since January 2012. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

Ring Camera Owners Will Receive $5.6 Million in Payments After FTC-Amazon Settlement. Here's How Many Customers Are Eligible — And How They'll Get the Cash.

The payouts are a result of a June 2023 settlement with Amazon over privacy violation allegations against the camera company.

Real Estate

Is It More Profitable to Buy a Single-Family or Multi-Unit Property? Here's What Beginner Real Estate Investors Need to Know.

Making the most profitable decision means having a clear eye towards risk tolerance, time availability and management training enthusiasm, among other factors.

Business News

Jeff Bezos and Amazon Execs Used An Encrypted Messaging App to Talk About 'Sensitive Business Matters,' FTC Alleges

The FTC's filing claims Bezos and other execs used a disappearing message feature even after Amazon knew it was being investigated.

Business News

Elon Musk Reveals His Tactics for Building Successful Companies, Including Sleeping Under His Desk and 'Working Every Waking Hour'

Musk shared the secrets on a podcast with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of the $1.6 trillion Norges Bank.

Side Hustle

3 Secrets to Starting a Small Business Side Hustle That Gives Your Day Job a Run for Its Money, According to People Who Did Just That — and Made Millions

Almost anyone can start a side hustle — but only those ready to level up can use it to out-earn their 9-5s.

Business Ideas

Clinton Sparks Podcast: Shaquille O'Neal's Journey from NBA Superstar to Entrepreneur

This podcast is a fun, entertaining and informative show that will teach you how to succeed and achieve your goals with practical advice and actionable steps given through compelling stories and conversations with Clinton and his guests.