In a significant advancement, scientists have achieved the creation of tiny living robots, capable of autonomous movement in a laboratory dish, utilizing human cells. This breakthrough, as indicated by a recent study, holds promise for potential applications in healing damaged tissue and wounds.
The collaborative team, comprised of students from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute and Tufts University, has named these innovative entities “anthrobots.” This research serves as a sequel to their prior work, where the same scientists pioneered the development of the first living robots, referred to as xenobots, employing stem cells derived from embryos of African clawed frogs.
Study author Michael Levin, the Vannevar Bush professor of biology at Tufts’ School of Arts & Sciences, noted that contrary to some beliefs associating the features of xenobots with their embryonic and amphibian origins, the new anthrobots signify a more universal characteristic of living organisms. Levin emphasized the underestimated competencies of human body cells, stating, “We don’t realize all the competencies that our own body cells have.”
Although the anthrobots exhibited vitality, they were not considered full-fledged organisms due to the absence of a complete life cycle. Levin highlighted the limitations of rigid categorizations such as robot, animal, or machine, emphasizing the need to move beyond these binary distinctions.
The research, documented in the journal Advanced Science, outlines the methodology employed in creating these living robots. Human cells extracted from the trachea or windpipe of anonymous donors of various sexes and ages were utilized by the scientists. The choice of these cells was influenced by their accessibility, attributed to ongoing work related to COVID-19 and lung diseases. Additionally, the selected cell type was deemed capable of motion, enhancing their suitability for the creation of the anthrobots, according to study coauthor Gizem Gumuskaya, a doctoral student at Tufts University.
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