Scientists Create Hybrid Robot Combining Fungus And Machine

A team of researchers from Cornell University has made significant strides in the field of biohybrid robotics by developing two types of robots controlled by a living king oyster mushroom. These robots represent a novel approach to robotics, combining biological materials with synthetic components to create entities that can sense and respond to their environment, CNN reported. 

The researchers cultivated the mushroom's mycelium, a network of threadlike structures, within the robot's hardware. By harnessing the electrical signals produced by the mycelium, the robots were able to navigate and respond to stimuli such as light. This innovation demonstrates the potential of fungi to serve as biological controllers for robotic systems. 

"Mechanisms, including computing, understanding and action as a response, are done in the biological world and in the artificial world that humans have created, and biology most of the time is better at it than our artificial systems are," said Robert Shepherd, a senior author of a study detailing the robots published August 28 in the journal Science Robotics.

"Biohybridization is an attempt to find components in the biological world that we can harness, understand, and control to help our artificial systems work better," added Shepherd, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University who leads the institution's Organic Robotics Lab.

The development of these fungal-controlled robots opens up new possibilities for applications in various fields. Potential uses include agriculture, where they could monitor soil conditions and optimize fertilizer application, and environmental monitoring, where they could be deployed to assess water quality or detect pollutants. 

However, the deployment of biohybrid robots in natural environments raises ethical considerations. As these entities blur the lines between life and machine, it is crucial to carefully evaluate their potential impact on ecosystems and consider the implications of introducing biological components into artificial systems. 

As research in biohybrid robotics continues to advance, it is essential to address these ethical challenges and ensure that the development of these technologies aligns with societal values and environmental sustainability.