MIT engineers develop biohybrid robots using living muscle tissue

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed thin, biohybrid robots that utilize living muscle cells for propulsion. Unlike traditional biohybrid robots that rely on bulky, three-dimensional skeletal muscle structures requiring millions of cells, these new prototypes use a flexible, two-dimensional gel framework approximately half a millimeter thick.

The devices feature fin-like sections coated with a layer of muscle cells thinner than a human hair. Through genetic modification, these cells are designed to contract when exposed to light. By directing light onto specific fins, researchers can control the robot's speed and steering. In laboratory tests, the robot successfully navigated an underwater maze, reaching a maximum speed of approximately four times its own length per minute.

This technology, published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, offers a potentially more cost-effective and efficient alternative to conventional mechanical motors. The use of living tissue provides advantages such as flexibility, responsiveness, and the potential for self-regeneration, which could allow such robots to explore delicate or unpredictable environments.