Although more than a year has passed since the creation of Xenobots, today we can meet their improved version. Now Xenobots are stronger, have a simple memory and their life is longer. They also differ from their predecessors in how they cope with survival in a group.
Their story began in January 2020 with an experiment, the effects of which were then impossible to predict. Researchers at Tufts University and the University of Vermont have developed an algorithm to simulate evolution. Using a supercomputer, they tested thousands of possible cell configurations. When they managed to select the most promising pair, they combined them using microsurgical instruments. The researchers used the genotype of the frog Xenopus laevis. It turns out, that genes spontaneously transform in a different way than would be the case in the development of this amphibian. For example, eyelashes usually used to generate mucus transform to gain a locomotive function.
Xenobots are created similarly to other robots, but they are made up of living components. Researchers created something between a living organism and a robot. Previous versions of Xenobots already had the ability to heal themselves. There is also some kind of cooperation between individual cells in certain situations. This valuable experience helps scientists understand how cells interact and communicate.
Xenobots have great potential for development, and it is planned to use their potential widely. For now, they are programmed for simple tasks, but over time they can be user to clean the oceans of microplastics. Designing the memory version 2.0 turned out to be a huge step in this direction. Thanks to it, Xenobots are able to distinguish between the colors of light and different types of waste. In the future, they will not only recognize the state of the environment, but also actively influence it.
To keep them alive, they need energy, but it doesn’t have to come from electricity. The right set of nutrients guarantees their survival for up to several months.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210331143050.htm?fbclid=IwAR01q8XiEQB6D7vEmVfsA1UdH8fzOAvyxIQEOjy8n_POny7NlCIpXMVmU0
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/living-micro-robots-were-born-from-frog-cells
https://www.unite.ai/xenobots-2-0-are-here-and-still-developed-with-frog-stem-cells/
https://singularityhub.com/2021/04/02/scientists-made-living-self-healing-robots-from-frog-skin-cells/