Building machines from muscle: University of Illinois demonstrates "walking" bio-robot

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margin-right: 9px;">ROBOTICS</a> </div>  <h1 id="ar_title">Building machines from muscle: University of Illinois demonstrates "walking" bio-robot</h1> <div class="summary_details_left"> <p>By <a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/author/loz-blain/" rel="author">Loz Blain</a></p> <p><em>July 3, 2014</em></p> </div> <div class="summary_details_right"> <div class="has_comments"><a href="walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle#comments">1 Comment</a></div> <div class="has_pictures"><a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures">7 Pictures</a></div> </div> </div> <div id="article_share_rail"> <div class="as_button"><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/" data-send="false" data-layout="box_count" data-show-faces="false"></div><script type="text/javascript">_ga.trackFacebook();</script></div> <div class="as_button"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448/http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="gizmag">Tweet</a></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="g-plusone" data-size="tall" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/"></div></div> <div class="as_button"><iframe style="overflow: hidden; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448if_/http://badge.stumbleupon.com/badge/embed/5/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gizmag.com%2Fwalking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle%2F32804%2F" width="50" height="60" id="iframe-stmblpn-widget-1"></iframe></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="pin-it-button" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448oe_/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/" data-image="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle.png" data-description="If you're going to deploy robots in biological settings, it makes a lot of sense to build those robots out of actual body parts. Bio-robotics experts in Illinois have demonstrated a walking bio-bot built from 3-D printed hydrogel and muscle tissue that can "walk" in response to an electrical signal."></div></div> <div class="as_button"><script type="IN/Share" data-counter="top"></script></div> <div class="as_button" id="reddit_button_rail"><script type="text/javascript">reddit_newwindow='1'</script></div>  </div> <div id="hero_box" style="width: 524px;"> <a id="hero_link" href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448im_/http://images.gizmag.com/hero/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle.png" title="The University of Illionois has demonstrated a bio-robot built from a flexibly hydrogel sp..." 3 alt="The University of Illionois has demonstrated a bio-robot built from a flexibly hydrogel sp..."/> </a> <div class="pic_caption"> <p>The University of Illionois has demonstrated a bio-robot built from a flexibly hydrogel spine and a piece of spinal muscle that can walk along in response to an electrical pulse (Graphic by Janet Sinn-Hanlon, Design Group@VetMed )</p> <a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures" id="gallery_link">Image Gallery</a> (7 images) </div> <div class="clear_both"></div> </div> <div class="article_body"> <div id="top_unit"></div> <p>If you're going to deploy robots in biological settings – for example, inside the body – it makes a lot of sense to build those robots out of actual biological body parts. Muscle, for example, is a very effective, biodegradable replacement for an electric actuator that can run in a nutrient-rich fluid without the need for any other power source. Bio-robotics experts in Illinois have demonstrated a bio-bot built from 3-D printed hydrogel and spinal muscle tissue that can "walk" in response to an electrical signal. Their next step will be trying to incorporate neurons that can get the bot walking in different directions when faced with different stimuli.</p> <ul id="gallery_images"> <li><a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures#1" class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle-6.png" title="Actual bio-robot showing the figure-8 shape of the muscle tissue" alt="Actual bio-robot showing the figure-8 shape of the muscle tissue"/></a></li> <li><a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures#2" class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle-1.png" title="Previous bio-robots using heart tissue could walk, but operated spontaneously and continuo..." alt="Previous bio-robots using heart tissue could walk, but operated spontaneously and continuo..."/></a></li> <li><a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures#3" class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle-3.png" title="The bio-robot's simple structure - a 3D printed hydrogel bridge with two feet, and a piece..." alt="The bio-robot's simple structure - a 3D printed hydrogel bridge with two feet, and a piece..."/></a></li> <li><a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures#4" class="image"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle-5.png" title="As the muscle contracts, the flexible spine bends and the bot shuffles forward" alt="As the muscle contracts, the flexible spine bends and the bot shuffles forward"/></a></li> <li id="view_all"><a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures" class="blue">View all<br/></a></li> </ul> <div class="clear_both"></div> <p>Less than a centimeter in length, the "bio-bot" responds to electrical impulses that cause the muscle to contract. Previous versions, using heart muscle tissue, were also able to "walk" but were not controllable, as heart tissue contracts constantly of its own accord, where spinal muscle responds to external electrical stimuli.</p> <div style="width: 530px; height: 298px; " class="article_img"><a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/pictures#4" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle-3.png" width="530" alt="The bio-robot's simple structure - a 3D printed hydrogel bridge with two feet, and a piece..."/></a></div> <p>Using muscle tissue to power a robot is undeniably cool – but what purpose does it serve? Well, according to study leader, Professor Rashid Bashir, biological tissue has several advantages over other robotic actuators: "[Muscle] is biodegradable, it can run in fluid with just some nutrients and hence doesn't need external batteries and power sources – and it could eventually be controlled by neurons in our future work."</p> <p>These features open up a range of potential uses. Bio-robots could operate inside the body in medical applications, or be used outdoors in environmental services.</p> <p>This first bio-robot is a simple design – two feet, a flexible spine and a contracting muscle – but with the technology proven, Bashir and his team are looking to start extending toward more complex machines.</p> <p>Initially, they'll look at designing a more complex hydrogel backbone that gives the robot the ability to move in more than one direction. They're also looking at integrating neurons to steer the tiny bots around, either using light or chemical gradients as a trigger. This would be a key step toward being able to design bots for a specific purpose.</p> <p>“The idea of doing forward engineering with these cell-based structures is very exciting,” Bashir said. “Our goal is for these devices to be used as autonomous sensors. We want it to sense a specific chemical and move towards it, then release agents to neutralize the toxin, for example. Being in control of the actuation is a big step forward toward that goal.”</p> <p>The following video by Caroline Cvetkovic, Doug Litteken and Ritu Raman takes us through the bio-bot research project.</p> <p>Source: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448/http://news.illinois.edu/news/14/0630biobots2_RashidBashir.html" target="_blank">University of Illinois</a></p>  <div class="article_video"><iframe width="530" height="298" src="//web.archive.org/web/20140717050448if_/http://www.youtube.com/embed/skCzl7FlM34" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <span class="title share_bar">Share</span> <div id="article_share_bar" class="dotsontop share_bar"> <div class="as_button fb_as_button"><div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/" data-send="false" data-layout="box_count" data-show-faces="false"></div><script type="text/javascript">_ga.trackFacebook();</script></div> <div class="as_button"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448/http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="gizmag">Tweet</a></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="g-plusone" data-size="tall" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/"></div></div> <div class="as_button stumble_as_button"><iframe style="overflow: hidden; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448if_/http://badge.stumbleupon.com/badge/embed/5/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gizmag.com%2Fwalking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle%2F32804%2F" width="50" height="60" id="iframe-stmblpn-widget-2"></iframe></div> <div class="as_button"><div class="pin-it-button" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448oe_/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/" data-image="http://images.gizmag.com/hero/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle.png" data-description="If you're going to deploy robots in biological settings, it makes a lot of sense to build those robots out of actual body parts. Bio-robotics experts in Illinois have demonstrated a walking bio-bot built from 3-D printed hydrogel and muscle tissue that can "walk" in response to an electrical signal."></div></div> <div class="as_button"><script type="IN/Share" data-counter="top"></script></div> <div class="as_button" id="reddit_button_bar"><script type="text/javascript">reddit_newwindow='1'</script></div>  </div>   <div id="fm-well-zone" data-cb-ad-id="Content Well 1"> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448js_/http://static.fmpub.net/zone/7980"></script> </div> <div id="bottom_unit" data-cb-ad-id="Content Well 2"></div>  <div style="margin-bottom: 20px"> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448oe_/http://www.gizmag.com/walking-bio-robot-spinal-muscle/32804/" data-widget-id="AR_1" data-ob-template="Gizmag"></div> <script type="text/javascript" async="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448js_/http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js"></script> </div> </div>  <span class="title clear_left" id="author_byline_title">About the Author</span> <div class="dotsontop" id="authorcontainer">  <a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/author/loz-blain/"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20140717050448im_/http://images.gizmag.com/author_profiles/26.jpg" alt="Loz Blain" id="bio_pic"/> </a>   Loz has been one of Gizmag's most versatile contributors since 2007. Joining the team as a motorcycle specialist, he has since covered everything from medical and military technology to aeronautics, music gear and historical artefacts. Since 2010 he's branched out into photography, video and audio production, and he remains the only Gizmag contributor willing to put his name to a sex toy review. A singer by night, he's often on the road with his a cappella band Suade.   <a href="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/author/loz-blain/">All articles by Loz Blain</a> <span id="author_byline_links">   </span> <br class="clear_both"> </div>  <div id="bing_unit"></div>  <span class="title" id="comments">1 Comment</span> <div class="dotsontop"> <div id="comment-321529" class="a_comment"> <p>Very creepy. </p> <span class="name">Kie</span><br> <span class="date"> 4th July, 2014 @ 06:25 am PDT</span> </div> </div> <span class="title">Post a Comment</span> <div class="dotsontop" id="comment_form_div"> <div id="comment_form" data-article="32804"> <div id="comments_login"> <form action="/web/20140717050448/http://www.gizmag.com/index.php" name="login_form" id="login_form" onsubmit="return false;"> <p class="bold">Login with your gizmag account:</p> <p id="login_status"></p> <label for="email">Email</label><input type="text" name="email" id="email" value=""/> <label 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Building machines from muscle: University of Illinois demonstrates "walking" bio-robot