MIT builds tiny swimming robot powered by living muscle cells

MIT engineers created a thin, gum-stick-sized robot whose two fins are coated with light-activated living muscle cells. It navigated an underwater maze at up to four body lengths per minute. The study appeared in Advanced Functional Materials.

• Gum-stick-sized robot swims via light-triggered contractions of muscle cells
• Top speed reached about four body lengths per minute
• Cells were grown in square grooves on GelMA gel instead of fibrin
• Thin 2D design needs fewer cells than bulky biohybrid robots