XENOBOTS: The New Age
What Actually are XENOBOTS
Xenobots are the name given to tiny robots. The name Xenorobot is given after
the species of Aquatic frog Xenopus laevis, found across sub-saharan Africa from
Nigeria and Sudan to South Africa.
Xenobots are synthetic lifeforms that are automatically designed by computers to perform some desired function and built by combining together different biological tissues. Xenorobots are produced by Joshua Bongard and his team at the University of Vermant in Burlington, USA. And which are less than a 1millimeter (0.039 inches).
Xenobots are composed of two things skin cells and heart muscle cells , both of which are derived from stem cells harvested from early frog embroys.
1) Skin cells are used for giving structure.
2) Heart cells are used for moving from one place to another place.
By using supercomputers to create structure. It can go along straight line and in a circle manner. So what we program exactly it replicates, if we done something wrong, will cause damage.
Xenobots have been designed to walk swim, push pellets, carry payloads and
work together in a swarm to aggregate debris scattered along the surface of their dish into neat piles. They can survive for a week without food and heal themselves after laceration.
Xenobots primarily used as scientific tool to understand how cells cooperate to built complex bodies during morphogenesis. It has been speculated that future xenorobots might be able do the same thing with micro plastics in the Ocean. Which removing radioactive pollutants and oil spills from the Ocean.
In future clinical trails, these are used as targeted during delivery. It can go inside human body organs, used for removing plaque from the arteries of heart. It could be made from a human patient own cells. Which would by pass the immune response challenges of micro-robotic delivery systems.
Xenorobots are also safer than traditional robots. This is because they are more environmental friendly and safer for human health. These are neither robots nor living organisms but an aggregates of living cells capable of movement. These are living entries which work like robots.
HISTORY
The teаm of Dоuglаs Blасkistоn, а reseаrсh sсientist аnd miсrоsurgeоn, Sаm
Kriegmаn, а РhD student аnd аrtifiсiаl intelligenсe exрert, Tufts University
рrоfessоr оf biology Miсhаel Levin, аnd University оf Vermоnt рrоfessоr оf
соmрuter sсienсe Jоsh Bоngаrd.
Xenоbоts, nаmed аfter the Аfriсаn lowed frоg (Xenорus lаevis),аre synthetiс
lifefоrms thаt аre аutоmаtiсаlly designed by соmрuters tо рerfоrm sоme desired funсtiоn аnd built by соmbining tоgether different biоlоgiсаl tissues.Whether оr nоt xenоbоts аre rоbоts, оrgаnisms, оr sоmething else entirely remаins а subjeсt оf debаte аmоng sсientists.
These frоgs саn be fоund асrоss sub-sаhаrаn Аfriса frоm Nigeriа аnd Sudаn tо
Sоuth Аfriса. They аre аquаtiс аnd mоstly greenish grey in соlоur. Their embryоs аnd eggs аre рорulаr mоdel systems fоr а wide vаriety оf biоlоgiсаl studies. They аregenetiсаlly similаr tо humаns, beсоming а gооd mоdel fоr humаn diseаse reseаrсh. Sсientists hаve reрurроsed living сells sсrаррedfrоm frоg embryоs аnd аssemble them intо entirely new live fоrm. They саn survive for а week оn the liрids аnd рrоtein in the frоg сells before they stор funсtiоning — sоmething the sсientists sаid is “а роsitive feаture in terms оf sаfety fоr synthetiс biоlоgy соnstruсts”.
They саn’t reрrоduсe, but theyсаn be keрt аlive fоr lоnger if they’re
grоwn in а nutrient-riсh сell сulture. Xenоbоts live in freshwаte аnd саn stаnd
temрerаtures between fоur аnd 26 degrees сelsius. А xenоbоt design disсоvered in simulаtiоn аnd the deрlоyed оrgаnism built from frоg skin аnd heаrt musсle.
PROPERTIES
Industry — Robotics, synthetic biology
Application — Medicine, Environmental remediation
Dimensions — Microscale
Fuel source — Nutrients
Self-propelled — Yes
Components — Frog cells
Invented — 2020
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Well, we see surely observe that xenobots are certainly something that can help the world by solving various environmental as well as health problems. Few are listed below.
❖ It can lead to a new era of public health.
As we discussed, xenobots are tiny. If we want, we could send xenobots carrying medicine into the human body or even scrape out plaque from our arteries.
Moreover, they can replicate themselves to correct a genetic deficiency or replace DNA molecules. They could serve as miniature surgeons that can be used to repair damaged cells or entirely replace intracellular structures.
❖ They can help collect microplastics in the oceans.
The amount of plastic in our oceans has significantly increased over the years.
There is even a garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean the size of Texas! Solving this problem would be extremely beneficial to aquatic species and the quality of our water supply. If xenobots were sent out into the oceans to collect microplastics, the impact would benefit everyone.
❖ They could be used to clean up radioactive waste.
Nuclear waste can drastically affect life by causing cancerous growths or causing genetic problems for many flora and fauna. Even if nuclear energy can be efficient, we have to find more effective solutions to clean up after it. Xenobots have the potential to solve this dangerous problem of nuclear waste. If we release them into waste-prone areas, they can make a real difference.
❖ They can help scientists learn more about cell biology.
Aside from the practical tasks listed above, the xenobots could also help
researchers learn more about cell biology by opening the doors to future
advancement for human health and longevity.
PROS AND CONS
PROS :-
If we look at the benefits that a Xenobot can provide to humanity is very
important and the benefits are included the things that humanity is in need of now.
⟶ Could be the Future of Drug Delivery :
By using cells, the researchers made a life form that could move, heal after injury and after seven days, die and completely biodegrade.
The resultant organisms could move around their environment, push small objects and be remodelled with a pouch to carry objects like medication. “It’s a step toward using computer-designed organisms for intelligent drug delivery.
⟶ Xenobots are Fully Biodegradable :
The study highlights that one of the primary advantages of using living cells is
that when they die, they generally fall apart harmlessly and they can also heal
themselves. When they’re done with their job after seven days, they’re just dead skin cell ⟶ This is just a step into answering what determines form and function beyond just the genome.
CONS :-
It is strange to think that if left-aligned to their natural development the stem cells taken from the embryonic frogs would have turned into skin and heart tissue within living breathing animals. (It would be a disaster)
⟶ Just like any other tool or technology, xenobots could be used for either good or bad. For instance, instead of targeting and destroying cancer cells, xenobots could be used by malevolent parties to hijack life functions. And bad outcomes like this don’t even have to be intentional.
⟶ And while equipping xenobots with sensory and nervous systems could allow them to take on more complex tasks, skeptics say this could also result in them becoming sentient. This raises all sorts of ethical concerns. Some opponents would say this crosses the line and is akin to “playing God.”
⟶ However, it also potentially carries serious risks, insofar as the researchers
themselves admit that experimenting with living cells creates the scope for
unforeseen consequences. Although the current states of Xenobots are relatively harmless, there is the potential for future work to incorporate a nervous system and countless other applications.
At this stage, it’s impossible to know. though I do think we should be cautious in how we proceed, biological unintended consequences are no joke. But then again the correct use of such technology to clean up our oceans or other such
applications could be a game-changer.
The research team behind xenobots has acknowledged that discussion about the ethics of their creation is sorely needed. Before these programmable organisms are applied to any use case, many questions must be answered. Who decides who can access and control them? Should they be given kill-switches in the event they go rogue? Exactly how much regulation is required?
FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS
Evaluating dangers is clearly essential but concentrating on the good part for now. Xenobots can help to smooth up environment, dispose of microplastic from the oceans and work in regions antagonistic to people, maybe cover up the Antarctic’s ice from global warming too. As an example, they can also reduce radioactive pollution with nuclear waste, recycle it or even, in concept, improve it lower back.
However, for my part the maximum exciting utilization of xenobots is terra-
forming, there are so many things we can assume xenobots to perform but
consideration of durability should not be neglected as it also plays a main role.
Theoretically they can morph the surroundings on our and other planets. To be able to assist us in an upcoming growth to mars.
CONCLUSION
If we look at the benefits that a Xenobot can provide to humanity is very
important and the benefits are included the things that humanity is in need of now.
Michael Levin co-leader of the study and director of the center of regenerative
and developmental biology says: “We can imagine many useful applications of
these living robots like searching out nasty compounds or radioactive
contamination, gathering microplastics in the oceans, traveling in arteries to
scrape out plaque.”
Scientists also hint that these bio-machines could be used to carry medicine to a specific area inside of a patient.
It is strange to think that if left-aligned to their natural development the stem cells taken from the embryonic frogs would have turned into skin and heart tissue within living breathing animals. (It would be a disaster)
Instead in configurations designed by a computer algorithm, they were
constructed by humans and those cells were assembled into something
completely new life form, a living programmable robot.
Although the current states of Xenobots are relatively harmless, there is the
potential for future work to incorporate a nervous system and countless other
applications.
So we can conclude by saying that Xenobots has it’s own fair share of advantages and disadvantages it all depends on the way they are used by the mankind.
Thank you for reading this article we hope you enjoyed reading
this article is written by the below interns under VIEH Group internship program
Ajay balaji
Kartik Khurana
Khushi Gulati
Mayank Chauhan
Meet Patel
Nishchay Verma
Parth Patel
D. Saiteja
Shyam Karthick
Bhavik Malhotra
Viren Saroha
Kshitij Pawar
