The World’s First “Living” Robots Just Got an Upgrade, Meet Xenobot 2.0

In 2020, the world saw its first glimpse of a living robot that could move, self-heal, and work with other bots to meet a common goal. But all these features have gotten a massive upgrade including...memory—meet Xenobot 2.0.

In 2020, the world saw its first glimpse of a living robot. Known as the Xenobot, this microscale organism could move, self-heal, and work with other bots to meet a common goal.

But all these features have gotten a massive upgrade including...memory. The original Xenobots were developed by a team of biologists and computer engineers at Tufts University and the University of Vermont.

These micromachines measured less than a millimeter wide and could work together to push payloads. The original Xenobots could self-repair, but biologists have really dialed things up with the next generation.

#xenobot #robotics #microtech #science #seeker #elements

Read More:

Scientists Create the Next Generation of Living Robots
"Compared to Xenobots 1.0, in which the millimeter-sized automatons were constructed in a “top-down” approach by manual placement of tissue and surgical shaping of frog skin and cardiac cells to produce motion, the next version of Xenobots takes a “bottom-up” approach."

Living robots made from frog skin cells can sense their environment
"Because they are created from cells, the xenobots eventually break apart and are totally biodegradable, says team member Douglas Blackiston, also at Tufts University. He, therefore, hopes that they can be used for biomedical and environmental applications."

Biohybrid design: How to build a biological robot
"Flexibility, adaptivity and resilience: the future of engineering is biological, says mechanical engineer Ritu Raman."

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[vculceski]

Great plan, so now they can remember we cut them in half for fun

[SymphonyJack]

Awe the first stage! So cute! Future humans: “how did the xenomorphs get started again?”

[viveksoni]

I bet in 5 years they will be taking rollercoaster ride in my blood :)

[eddokter]

I would love to see some of these nanobots do a sell and search function. Like sorting plastic out of sand or healthy cells from damaged ones, something like that.

[axem.]

Cant wait to see when this goes out of hand.

[Sir_Uncle_Ned]

It’s amazing just how much we are learning about cells and organisms in the process of developing the xenobot.

I look forward to a multicellular version with the ability to accomplish specific tasks such as removing bacterial infections at the cellular level or secreting repair compounds for injury healing.

[patricksarama]

I can’t even begin to image how great this technology will be in 20 years time!

[jonathanseibert]

"Who knows what we'll see next? Maybe xenobot 3.0."

That's like saying "I bet the suns gonna be out tomorrow"

[GreenAppelPie]

Are y’all trying to creat frog borgs? Because this is how you get frog borgs.

[crylite]

Typical Seeker, 12 minute videos that really ought to be 4, 4 minute videos that really ought to be 12

[Ruluaman]

This is amazing but absolutely terrifying at the same time.

[phantomapprentice]

I'm impressed, for once its not a clickbait. What I like to see Xenobot accomplish is a neural net capable of activating a larger muscle tissue as a first step of producing a larger artificial organic body. Xenobot is the micro-level that drives a macro level autonomous bio-robot that can ultimately be designed to house Vitalik buterin's brain.

[allensandven]

Why does this give me a chill down my spine, and I’m sure that there are smarter people than me questioning the endless possibilities of bad outcome or a interstellar consortium on bad ideas ?

[HolyApplebutter]

Can't wait to see the future applications of these, not to mention the philosophical discussion they'll create.

[Distaval]

I want to see them build tiny structures or even tiny working machines. If they can repair themselves so quickly, can they repair other things? What if a human sized structure was made out of them? A living door that only opens for you because they remember. The possibilities are really endless. Could they protect us from the elements like an active shield?

I imagine something like an umbrella forming over our head the second they detect rain. Maybe something more complex like an air tight helmet that produces its own oxygen from living cells.

[mr.bennett]

I write scifi on the side, and in it, I have what I call the "nanoswarm." These seem like perfect candidates! All they need are: the ability to be receive and react to a broadcasted signal, the ability to move through the air in a controlled manner (bouyancy+scilia seems functional), the ability to carry and deposit a range of minerals in a controlled way, the ability to make said materials bond together, either through a cementatious excretion or utilizing some form of heat/emission to activate a compound, and the ability to dissolve and absorb or mechanically remove and retain a range of materials. Do that, and you can have a swarm of "Xenobot 11.0's" or whatever essentially act as a 3D printer or a 3D grinder. Think of the buildings you could construct or the earthworks you could carve...

[richard-social]

Him: And they coul do a lot
Me: Like what?
Him: Move in straight lines or run around in circles
...

[ganapatidhal]

They can communicate with each other to form a living robot 😳

[curtisdaniel]

Fascinating Work! Could they be programmed to detect Specific Types of Cancers? 🤔

[SteakSawSr]

Oh great! So the self-healing zombie zenobots have memory now! Fantastic!