Perhaps soon the robots will be controlled by bacteria!

Robots can be programmed to respond to changes in sunlight, temperature, or even the level of certain particles in the air. But what do you say about robots that will be completely controlled by bacteria?

Robots, controlled by bacteria, are not yet certain, but a team of scientists created a mathematical model to see how such models can explore the world around us.

How it works?

Of course, bacteria do not have the functions by which they could pull the wires and pull the levers. Instead, a hypothetical robot was developed, the control of which happens with the help of the color of bacteria. They can be green or red, and they change their color depending on what they consume. Theoretically, the robot can view them with a miniature microscope and measure the pigment and the intensity of each color. It will determine where and how quickly the robot will move.

This scheme may seem rather simplistic, but even the basic movements of the robot became more complex when new bacteria were introduced into its "microbiome." The hypothetical robot moves with fuel, using a sequence known as "sneaking, pause, punch". This behavior is observed in predatory animals, when they creep up to the prey, die before casting and subordinate their prey if successful.

Microbiome can affect the behavior of the animal with the help of several simple interactions, so the developers of the hypothetical robot model find this fact especially alarming. But according to them, it was interesting to see that the fundamental interaction was enough to cause complex behavior.

Results and Scope of Application

The developed models have already shown interesting results. The next step will be the construction of real robots. According to scientists, they actively build all the components that actually simulate. It is planned to create prototypes that can "read" the expression level of bacteria with the help of miniature fluorescent microscopes. Bacteria are also planned to be developed in the laboratory.

Such an approach to robotics can have application in the field of agriculture, health care and environmental cleaning. All this will largely depend on the "relationship" between bacteria and their hosts.

Security

It is also planned to integrate a security network into the design of robots. Scientists use weak strains of bacteria that can be modified, as there is a potential risk of loss of microorganisms that can enter the environment.

According to scientists, this experiment can be done with minimal funding. This opens up a wide field for experiments, although only people with access to the laboratory will be able to work with bacteria.