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A colony of these bacteria managed to drive a robotic car.
News regarding more advanced and intelligent robots are not that uncommon, but researchers from Virginia’s Institute of Technology have found an entirely different way of controlling them. They managed to build a robot that is entirely controlled by bacteria.
Though it may sound like something that belongs in the realms of Science-Fiction, a strain of E. Coli, commonly found in the digestive systems of many animals has been successfully used to steer a robotic car.
The idea came after the scientists observed significant changes in the behavior of flies that have consumed probiotics (beneficial bacteria). They theorized that the same changes could be intentionally applied to an artificial system.
The small robot was equipped to detect and respond to visual stimuli: red or green lights. The bacteria was genetically engineered to produce red or green colored fluorescent proteins. In this way it could directly give orders to the robot to whom it was attached to.
for more info:
http://www.councilchronicle.com/robot-controlled-bacteria/21343/
A colony of these bacteria managed to drive a robotic car.
News regarding more advanced and intelligent robots are not that uncommon, but researchers from Virginia’s Institute of Technology have found an entirely different way of controlling them. They managed to build a robot that is entirely controlled by bacteria.
Though it may sound like something that belongs in the realms of Science-Fiction, a strain of E. Coli, commonly found in the digestive systems of many animals has been successfully used to steer a robotic car.
The idea came after the scientists observed significant changes in the behavior of flies that have consumed probiotics (beneficial bacteria). They theorized that the same changes could be intentionally applied to an artificial system.
The small robot was equipped to detect and respond to visual stimuli: red or green lights. The bacteria was genetically engineered to produce red or green colored fluorescent proteins. In this way it could directly give orders to the robot to whom it was attached to.
for more info:
http://www.councilchronicle.com/robot-controlled-bacteria/21343/