Biobot – Science and technology evolve at an unstoppable rate, and advances are opening new avenues of research and possibilities that were unthinkable until recently.
All these innovations are taking place in many areas, but here we will focus on explaining what a biobot is and what it could be used for.
Observing nature and animal behaviour led to the creation of biobots.
Table of Contents
Concept
A biobot is a type of robot whose design is inspired by animals. It is a complete unit of a living cell, with another piece of its artificial anatomy.
In 2020, American scientists presented a robot made from frog skin and muscle cells, with a lifespan of only one week.
By positioning the contractile cells in a specific way, it was achieved that the biobot moved in one direction or circled.
They would be able to perform tasks together, forming a kind of “swarm” to move and transport objects.
Advantages of biobots
These organic machines can regenerate after a cut, recompose themselves, and continue their “work”.
Another advantage is that they are entirely biodegradable and destroy their cells over time.
Therefore, despite their apparent fragility, they are pretty resistant.
Possible uses of Biobots
We are still at a very early stage. Some of the future uses for biobots are already beginning to emerge.
Medical uses
In the medical field, they could be used to free clogged arteries or to detect tumours.
Another possible use would be administering drugs with greater precision and efficiency.
Similarly, in the future, they could be useful in microsurgery.
Improving medical prostheses by combining soft and rigid parts could be another of their uses.
Environmental uses
They could use them to collect plastic waste and bring it to a designated area for collection.
They could also help clean up areas contaminated with toxic substances.
Other uses
They can be used to transport and manipulate particles. Over time, it can be refined to target specific particles.
As we have said, all these uses are still far from being applied.
Over time, through the necessary investment in research, new uses will be discovered that could be very useful for humanity’s future.