Jul 17, 2015 05:44 AM
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/how-bio...ving-brain
EXCERPT: [...] a study published today [...] describes using a mathematical model to demonstrate how a microbiome of engineered bacteria (E. coli) could be used to control a robot. To do this, Ruder mashed together an E. coli microbiome, a microfluidic chemostat that measures the reactions of the bacteria inside them with sensors, and simple mobile robots—all in a virtual simulation.
[...] When the researchers tested out their bot’s behaviour in their virtual sim, they found that more interesting behavioural patterns emerged when the robot was able to give signals back to the bacteria it was receiving commands from.
“We thought a more complex behaviour emerged where the robot started to have a somewhat predatory response to different types of food sources in its environment. It would pause briefly as the protein levels from the output of the genetic circuits [on the bacteria] changed, then it would move rapidly toward the food source,” explained Ruder. “This is kind of like when a lion is stalking a gazelle and where you see it slowly approach then pounce.”
[...] People talk about introducing genetically engineered bacteria to the environment—they could sense things in the environment, maybe find a pollutant and chemically process it so it was less toxic,” said Ruder. “But it could be a real challenge to get the bacteria back out of the environment once the job is done.”
Ruder envisions that the robot could act as a containment device or a mobile protective shell for the bacteria on board. “[Say] we engineer those types of bacteria with unique abilities and we give them a robotic platform or a life support system so that they can go out into that environment,” said Ruder. “When the bacteria have done their job in the environment because they’re housed on a robotic life support, we can simply pull the plug on the life support, the bacteria die and we have no worry that they’re going to invade the environment.”...
EXCERPT: [...] a study published today [...] describes using a mathematical model to demonstrate how a microbiome of engineered bacteria (E. coli) could be used to control a robot. To do this, Ruder mashed together an E. coli microbiome, a microfluidic chemostat that measures the reactions of the bacteria inside them with sensors, and simple mobile robots—all in a virtual simulation.
[...] When the researchers tested out their bot’s behaviour in their virtual sim, they found that more interesting behavioural patterns emerged when the robot was able to give signals back to the bacteria it was receiving commands from.
“We thought a more complex behaviour emerged where the robot started to have a somewhat predatory response to different types of food sources in its environment. It would pause briefly as the protein levels from the output of the genetic circuits [on the bacteria] changed, then it would move rapidly toward the food source,” explained Ruder. “This is kind of like when a lion is stalking a gazelle and where you see it slowly approach then pounce.”
[...] People talk about introducing genetically engineered bacteria to the environment—they could sense things in the environment, maybe find a pollutant and chemically process it so it was less toxic,” said Ruder. “But it could be a real challenge to get the bacteria back out of the environment once the job is done.”
Ruder envisions that the robot could act as a containment device or a mobile protective shell for the bacteria on board. “[Say] we engineer those types of bacteria with unique abilities and we give them a robotic platform or a life support system so that they can go out into that environment,” said Ruder. “When the bacteria have done their job in the environment because they’re housed on a robotic life support, we can simply pull the plug on the life support, the bacteria die and we have no worry that they’re going to invade the environment.”...