A research group at the University of Manchester in the U.K. has recently made a surprising discovery: tiny robots made from human cells living inside a test tube. Known as “orgots” (or organisms + robots) these robotic creatures are the result of merging living cells with nanotechnology.
The orgots measure only a few hundred microns in size and are made up of a frame of blocks composed of genetic circuits and allergens, all constructed from various human cells. The robots are capable of exhibiting simple behaviors—such as responding to light and detecting environmental changes—but scientists can also program the orgots to carry out tasks like transporting molecules or performing autonomous chemical reactions.
The development of the miniaturized robots paves the way for further advances in nanotechnology. Scientists believe this new technology could be used to create drug delivery systems, to accurately target cancer cells, or to develop personalized treatments.
It also has potential implications for our understanding of how life works, since the robots are composed of native human cells with an artificial programming system. The team behind the project hope it could offer new insights into the evolution of self-replicating systems.
The possibilities for this small, living robots are still being explored, but the fact that scientists have developed these tiny, self-contained organisms from human cells is remarkable. If further advances are made in this field of study, it could unlock a new frontier of medical and robotic technology.
