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Stingray soft robot could lead to bio-inspired robotics

Developing soft biobots

Date:
January 13, 2018
Source:
UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering of Applied Science
Summary:
Bioengineers have developed a tissue-based soft robot that mimics the biomechanics of a stingray. The new technology could lead to advances in bio-inspired robotics, regenerative medicine and medical diagnostics.
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UCLA bioengineering professor Ali Khademhosseini has led the development of a tissue-based soft robot that mimics the biomechanics of a stingray. The new technology could lead to advances in bio-inspired robotics, regenerative medicine and medical diagnostics.

The study was published in Advanced Materials.

The simple body design of stingrays, specifically, a flattened body shape and side fins that start at the head and end at the base of their tail, makes them ideal to model bio-electromechanical systems on.

The 10-millimeter long robot is made up of four layers: tissue composed of live heart cells, two distinct types of specialized biomaterials for structural support, and flexible electrodes. Imitating nature, the robotic stingray is even able to "flap" its fins when the electrodes contract the heart cells on the biomaterial scaffold.

"The development of such bioinspired systems could enable future robotics that contain both biological tissues and electronic systems," Khademhosseini said. "This advancement could be used for medical therapies such as personalized tissue patches to strengthen cardiac muscle tissue for heart attack patients."


Story Source:

Materials provided by UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering of Applied Science. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Su Shin. Electrically Driven Microengineered Bioinspired Soft Robots. Advanced Materials, 2018 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201704189

Cite This Page:

UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering of Applied Science. "Stingray soft robot could lead to bio-inspired robotics." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 January 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180113092356.htm>.
UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering of Applied Science. (2018, January 13). Stingray soft robot could lead to bio-inspired robotics. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180113092356.htm
UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering of Applied Science. "Stingray soft robot could lead to bio-inspired robotics." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180113092356.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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