Researchers are creating robots with human cells that can be used to treat diseases

Researchers at Tufts University and Harvard’s Wyss Institute have developed small living robots built from human cells that have the ability to move and could ultimately contribute to the healing of wounds or damaged tissue. This advance, called “antrobots,” emerged as an evolution of previous work that created xenobots from embryonic stem cells from African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis).

CNN highlighted that this discovery, which was published in the scientific journal Advanced Science, expands understanding of the morphological capabilities of adult human cells. The research team used human tracheal cells from anonymous donors to create the humanoid robots, choosing this type of cell because of its ease of access and natural motor properties.

Tracheal cells contain hair-like cilia, capable of propelling small molecules and forming organelles, which are cellular structures for research. Researcher Gezim Gomoskaya, a doctoral student at Tufts University, has been experimenting with the chemical formula to make cilia turn outward, giving them the ability to move and suggesting great potential for medical applications.

The humanoid robots, with different shapes and movements, were able to survive for up to 60 days in laboratory conditions and showed the potential to promote regeneration in damaged human neurons in culture. This behavior opens the possibility of future applications in human tissue repair.

Professor Michael Levin, co-author of the study, and Gomoskaya are optimistic but cautious, as the mechanism behind stimulating growth is still poorly understood. Falk Tauber, from the Center for Interactive Materials and Biotechnology in Freiburg, Germany, sees a promising horizon for diversifying the functions of these biobots that are created from the patient’s own cells.

“They live in a very limited environment, so there is no possibility for them to leave the laboratory or live outside it. They cannot live outside of this very specific environment. They have a natural shelf life, so after a few weeks they biodegrade without any problems,” Tauber said.

Levin ensures that humanoid robots do not present ethical or safety concerns. They are not created from human embryos or are genetically modified, cannot survive outside a controlled laboratory environment, and decompose naturally after their limited life cycle. The biodegradability and restricted laboratory environment mitigate potential handling concerns.

This new interdisciplinary field between biology and technology continues to explore the frontiers of living cells as components of potential therapeutic machines. Xenobots are artificial organisms engineered from living cells, specifically skin and heart cells from the embryonic African frog Xenopus laevis (hence the name “xeno”). They were created by scientists at the University of Vermont, in collaboration with Tufts University and Harvard University’s Wyss Institute, using computational design methods and synthetic biology techniques.

As the first “living robots,” they can move, work in groups, and perform simple tasks, such as moving objects or healing themselves from severe injuries. They are not traditional organisms or traditional machines: they are a new kind of artefact – a programmable organism.

The arrival of humanoid robots, as part of an evolution of previous work on xenobots, is expected to greatly benefit human medicine, and experts are optimistic about this.