<p>When you hear a word like 'robot surgeon', you imagine a complex machinery carrying out an operative&nbsp;procedure on a patient. But what about 'anthrobots', does this ring a bell? Well, read on.</p>

<p>Gizem Gumuskaya, a Ph.D. candidate from Tufts University Wyss Institute for Biologically-Inspired Engineering has converted human cells into tiny robots which in turn have found to be aiding human tissue healing in her experiments. These tiny robots are being called 'anthrobots'.</p>

<p>Well, it certainly doesn't mean that we now have an army of tiny cell-robots that can heal you from inside. But the work carried out by Gumuskaya and her team is certainly a step in that direction.</p>

<h2><strong>The work</strong></h2>

<p>To make these anthrobots, Gumuskya chose cells that are found in the lining of the human trachea. These cells have hair-like structures called cilia which help in flow of liquids.</p>

<p>Gumuskaya began by growing thousands of these cells in a 3D Matrix for two weeks. During this period, the cells multiplied and came together forming spheroids.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | NASA to take international astronauts to Lunar Space</strong></p>

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<p>These spheroids were then removed and bathed in a chemical that would make the cilia come out. The manner in which the cilia came out determined the movement of these 'anthrobots'. Some anthrobots were small, round and had cilia evenly spread on their outer surface. Some anthrobots were squiggly and had irregular distribution of cilia on their surface.</p>

<p>Such differences imparted different movements to these anthrobots. Some swam in straight line while others in circles and so on.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancient-humans-in-europe-would-chop-their-fingers-off-to-appease-deities-study-673096">Ancient humans in Europe would chop their fingers off to appease deities: Study&nbsp;</a></strong></p>

<p>The research team then tried function of these anthrobots on damaged human tissue.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-devise-way-to-convert-toxic-cigarette-butts-into-green-fuel-673690">Scientists devise way to convert toxic cigarette butts into green fuel</a></strong></p>

<p>Damaged human neurons were taken in a petri dish and these anthrobots were released. It was seen that these anthrobots moved on their own and formed structures that formed protective bridges through which the neurons could heal themselves.</p>

<p>The study has been published in the journal Advanced Science on November 30, 2023.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


When you hear a word like 'robot surgeon', you imagine a complex machinery carrying out an operative procedure on a patient. But what about 'anthrobots', does this ring a bell?

When you hear a word like 'robot surgeon', you imagine a complex machinery carrying out an operative procedure on a patient. But what about 'anthrobots', does this ring a bell? Well, read on. Gizem Gumuskaya, a Ph.D. candidate from Tufts University Wyss Institute for Biologically-Inspired Engineering has converted human cells into tiny robots which in turn have found to be aiding human tissue healing in her experiments. These tiny robots are being called 'anthrobots'. Well, it certainly doesn't mean that we now have an army of tiny cell-robots that can heal you from inside. But the work carried out by Gumuskaya and her team is certainly a step in that direction. The work To make these anthrobots, Gumuskya chose cells that are found in the lining of the human trachea. These cells have hair-like structures called cilia which help in flow of liquids. Gumuskaya began by growing thousands of these cells in a 3D Matrix for two weeks. During this period, the cells multiplied and came together forming spheroids. Watch | NASA to take international astronauts to Lunar Space × These spheroids were then removed and bathed in a chemical that would make the cilia come out. The manner in which the cilia came out determined the movement of these 'anthrobots'. Some anthrobots were small, round and had cilia evenly spread on their outer surface. Some anthrobots were squiggly and had irregular distribution of cilia on their surface. Such differences imparted different movements to these anthrobots. Some swam in straight line while others in circles and so on. Also Read | Ancient humans in Europe would chop their fingers off to appease deities: Study The research team then tried function of these anthrobots on damaged human tissue. Also Read | Scientists devise way to convert toxic cigarette butts into green fuel Damaged human neurons were taken in a petri dish and these anthrobots were released. It was seen that these anthrobots moved on their own and formed structures that formed protective bridges through which the neurons could heal themselves. The study has been published in the journal Advanced Science on November 30, 2023. (With inputs from agencies)

Research team converts human cells into ‘bots’ that repaired tissue damage

<p>In a major breakthrough, scientists used human cells and created tiny living robots which are able to move around in a lab dish and are likely to heal damaged tissue and wounds someday, as per a new study.<br />
<br />
A team, comprising students from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute and Tufts University, have called these creations anthrobots. The research was the follow-up of similar work done by the same scientists. These scientists had earlier made the first living robots, called xenobots, using stem cells sourced from African clawed frog embryos.<br />
<br />
“Some people thought that the features of the xenobots relied a lot on the fact that they are embryonic and amphibian,” study author Michael Levin, Vannevar Bush professor of biology at Tufts’ School of Arts &amp; Sciences said, as reported by CNN.<br />
<br />
“I don’t think this has anything to do with being an embryo. This has nothing to do with being a frog. I think this is a much more general property of living things. We don’t realize all the competencies that our own body cells have,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/technology-devouring-humans-robot-crushes-man-to-death-in-south-korea-656647">Technology devouring humans? Robot crushes man to death in South Korea</a></p>

<p>“While alive, the anthrobots were not full-fledged organisms because they didn’t have a full life cycle. It reminds us that these harsh binary categories that we’ve operated with: Is that a robot, is that an animal, is that a machine? These kinds of things don’t serve us very well. We need to get beyond that,” Levin said.<br />
<br />
The research was published in the journal Advanced Science on Thursday (Nov 30).</p>

<h2><strong>How were these living robots made?</strong></h2>

<p>Adult human cells, which were taken from the windpipe or trachea of anonymous donors who were from different sexes and ages, were used by the scientists.<br />
<br />
This type of cell was selected by the researchers because they are comparatively easy to access due to the work done on COVID-19 and lung disease and, because of a feature which as per scientists will make cells capable of motion, as per study coauthor Gizem Gumuskaya, who is a doctoral student at Tufts.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Man crushed to death by robot in South Korea</strong></p>

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<p>“Nothing happened on day one, day two, day four or five, but as biology usually does, around day seven, there was a rapid transition. It was like a blossoming flower. By day seven, the cilia had flipped and were on the outside,” Gumuskaya said.<br />
<br />
“In our method, each anthrobot grows from a single cell,” she said.<br />
<br />
“It’s this self-assembly that makes them unique. Biological robots have been made by other scientists, but they were constructed by hand by making a mould and seeding cells to live on top of it,” said Levin.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a major breakthrough, scientists used human cells and created tiny living robots which are able to move around in a lab dish and are likely to heal damaged tissue and wounds someday, as per a new study.

In a major breakthrough, scientists used human cells and created tiny living robots which are able to move around in a lab dish and are likely to heal damaged tissue and wounds someday, as per a new study. A team, comprising students from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute and Tufts University, have called these creations anthrobots. The research was the follow-up of similar work done by the same scientists. These scientists had earlier made the first living robots, called xenobots, using stem cells sourced from African clawed frog embryos. “Some people thought that the features of the xenobots relied a lot on the fact that they are embryonic and amphibian,” study author Michael Levin, Vannevar Bush professor of biology at Tufts’ School of Arts & Sciences said, as reported by CNN. “I don’t think this has anything to do with being an embryo. This has nothing to do with being a frog. I think this is a much more general property of living things. We don’t realize all the competencies that our own body cells have,” he added. Also read: Technology devouring humans? Robot crushes man to death in South Korea “While alive, the anthrobots were not full-fledged organisms because they didn’t have a full life cycle. It reminds us that these harsh binary categories that we’ve operated with: Is that a robot, is that an animal, is that a machine? These kinds of things don’t serve us very well. We need to get beyond that,” Levin said. The research was published in the journal Advanced Science on Thursday (Nov 30). How were these living robots made? Adult human cells, which were taken from the windpipe or trachea of anonymous donors who were from different sexes and ages, were used by the scientists. This type of cell was selected by the researchers because they are comparatively easy to access due to the work done on COVID-19 and lung disease and, because of a feature which as per scientists will make cells capable of motion, as per study coauthor Gizem Gumuskaya, who is a doctoral student at Tufts. Watch: Gravitas: Man crushed to death by robot in South Korea “Nothing happened on day one, day two, day four or five, but as biology usually does, around day seven, there was a rapid transition. It was like a blossoming flower. By day seven, the cilia had flipped and were on the outside,” Gumuskaya said. “In our method, each anthrobot grows from a single cell,” she said. “It’s this self-assembly that makes them unique. Biological robots have been made by other scientists, but they were constructed by hand by making a mould and seeding cells to live on top of it,” said Levin. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists create tiny living robots from human cells which may heal wounds

Scientists in the United States have created tiny biological robots from Human tracheal cells. These robots are known as Anthrobots and these microscopic multicellular Bots have displayed a remarkable healing effect on other cells.

Scientists create tiny living robots from human cells

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