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A hybrot (short for "hybrid robotics") is a robot that is created with a hybrid of mechatronics fused with biological or organic structures to create non-traditional robots. Unlike conventional robots, which rely solely on digital computation, hybrots are controlled by networks of living neurons cultured in vitro, forming a closed-loop system between the biological controller and the robotic body.[1]

Hybrots are primarily used as experimental platforms in fields such as neuroscience, biohybrid systems, and artificial intelligence research. These systems allow scientists to explore how biological neural networks learn, adapt, and interact with external environments through robotic embodiment. Their adaptability and responsiveness to external stimuli are difficult to replicate with purely artificial materials.[2]

However, the integration of living brain tissue into machines also raises significant ethical and philosophical questions about life, autonomy, and the boundaries between organic and artificial systems.

Evolution of the definition

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The definition of hybrots has evolved significantly since the term was first coined due to advances in bioengineering, robotics, neuroscience, and ethics.

The term was first coined by Dr. Steve M. Potter at Georgia Tech. The original purpose was to describe how real neurons behave in hybrid robotic systems controlled by living neurons. The focus of the original study was integration of biological neurons cultured from rodent brains into robotic systems.[1]

By the mid 2010s, the scope of this definition was further broadened due to the exploration of integrating biological neural networks with robotic systems to study embodied cognition. This approach emphasized the role of the body and environment in shaping cognitive processes.[3]

Soft-Legged Wheel-Based Robot with Terrestrial Locomotion Abilities

By the late 2010s, due to increased interest in brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) and soft-robotics, the term "hybrot" was used in studies focusing on the seamless integration of biological tissues, cardiac cells, or plant systems with electronic components.[4]

With the growing complexity of autonomous systems, "hybrots" are currently discussed in ethical, legal, and philosophical contexts. Some of the key themes of discussions in this context include whether "Hybrots" can be considered as living systems, should they have rights or moral considerations or liability associated with the implications of their decisions.[5]

As a result, the definition of Hybrot has become interdisciplinary, incorporating not just biology and engineering, but law, philosophy, and sociology.

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Difference from cyborg

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While both hybrots and cyborgs (short for "cybernetic organism") integrate biological and artificial components, they differ fundamentally in structure and purpose. A hybrot is a robotic system controlled by a network of living neurons, cultured in vitro from living organisms. They are primarily developed for research in neuroscience, adaptive robotics, and biohybrid computing. In contrast, a cyborg refers to a living organism whose physiological functions are aided or enhanced by mechanical or electronic devices. This integration aims to restore or augment abilities, such as using prosthetic limbs, cochlear implants, or other assistive technologies. In summary, hybrots are machines with biological brains while cyborgs are biological beings with artificial enhancements.

Difference from bio-inspired robotics

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Bio-inspired robotics refers to robotic systems designed to mimic biological organisms in form, movement, or behavior, but without incorporating any biological tissues. These systems are fully artificial and are often modeled after animals (e.g., insect-like walking robots or octopus-inspired soft robots) to enhance adaptability, efficiency, or sensory-motor capabilities. In summary, hybrotsare machines with biological brains while bio-inspired robotics are artificial systems with designs and functions influenced by biological systems.

Cultural depictions and cinematic inspiration

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The concept of hybrots has both inspired and been inspired by various portrayals in science fiction cinema. While the scientific development of hybrots is grounded in neuroengineering and robotics, several films have provided imaginative precedents that parallel or foreshadow the real-world creation of these bio-electronic systems.

Early inspirations

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Lobby card for the 1931 film Frankenstein

Frankenstein (1931) and its literary source can be seen as a foundational cultural reference for the idea of creating life through artificial means. Though not directly analogous, the film's themes of reanimation and synthetic life laid the groundwork for broader societal fascination with the boundaries between biology and machinery.

AI-driven autonomy and neural integration

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Ghost in the Shell (1995) envisioned a future where human consciousness could be merged with machines, emphasizing the role of "ghosts" (souls) within "shells" (cybernetic bodies). While more philosophical than scientific, this depiction closely mirrors the ambition of hybrot systems to explore cognition, learning, and autonomy by embedding living neuronal networks in artificial bodies.

The Matrix - Screenshot of the famous GLMatrix screensaver

The Matrix (1999) introduced the idea of interfacing organic brains with vast digital systems, prefiguring the feedback loop in Hybrots where robotic actions influence, and are influenced by, living neurons. The film also contributed to popular awareness of brain-computer interfaces.

Direct analogues

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Bicentennial Man (1999) and A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) explored themes of emotional intelligence and hybrid identity. While these films focus more on synthetic rather than biological components, they parallel Hybrots in exploring what it means to be partially human or conscious within a machine body.

Transcendence (2014) portrayed a scientist uploading his consciousness into a superintelligent computer system. Though speculative, the concept of translating human neural structures into machine-readable form resonates with research into living neural interfaces in Hybrots.

Ex Machina (2014) re-imagines the science of robots limbs. In the story the robots are made of a mix of both mechanical and organic parts, forming human like skin and other features with organic life attributes of touch and sensitivity.

Films like Upgrade (2018) and Chappie (2015) imagined robots learning and adapting via neural-like processing systems, reflecting a public imagination increasingly shaped by real advances in hybrid robotic research. These films often include nods to real scientific concepts like plasticity, feedback learning, and the embodiment of intelligence: core elements of Hybrot function.

Past developments in hybrots

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2000s

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  • Coining of the term "hybrot" by Dr. Steve M. Potter at Georgia Tech (c. 2003).
  • First successful integration of cultured rat cortical neurons with robotic platforms.
  • Use of multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) to record and stimulate living neurons.
  • Many hybrots were built using thin film materials like MEMS and PDMS, layered with muscle cells. These two-dimensional designs were used to create swimming motions, such as in soft robotic stingrays.[6]
  • Purpose: study neural computation, plasticity, and behavior in closed-loop environments.
  • Example systems: MEA-controlled wheeled robots that navigate based on neural activity.[1]

2010s

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  • Biohybrid robots were developed using live skeletal muscle, cardiomyocytes, and even plant or fungal tissues to enable actuation and sensing.
  • Advances in 3D printing and tissue engineering enabled the creation of customizable 3D biological structures, moving beyond traditional 2D layers and supporting their integration into smart soft robotic systems.[7]
  • A biohybrid swimmer featuring functional neuromuscular junctions and time-irreversible flagellar dynamics was developed in 2019. It represented the first swimmer powered by skeletal muscle tissue, actuated by external light stimuli, and operated at low Reynolds numbers with relatively slow swimming speeds (0.92 μm/s).[8]

2020s

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  • Integrating both neuronal and skeletal muscle tissue into a single biobot attracted significant interest, as it mimicked native muscle structure and enhanced the controllability of biorobotic systems.[9]

Potential future uses of hybrots

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The concept of hybrots has opened up numerous possible applications across neuroscience, robotics, medicine, and ethics. While many of these are still experimental or theoretical, ongoing research continues to expand the scope of what such systems might achieve.

Neuroscience research

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Hybrots serve as novel models for studying neural network behavior and brain function. By interfacing cultured neurons with robotic systems, scientists can investigate how neural circuits process information and adapt to stimuli. This approach supports research into learning mechanisms, plasticity, and disease modeling.[1]

Advanced brain-machine interfaces (BMIs)

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Hybrots may improve brain-machine interfaces by offering more nuanced and biologically realistic control systems. These advances could benefit prosthetic development, neurorehabilitation, and even cognitive augmentation.[10]

Biohybrid AI systems

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Future AI systems may incorporate living neural networks to enhance adaptability and real-time learning. Hybrots could enable biologically inspired decision-making architectures, especially in dynamic or uncertain environments.[10]

Synthetic biology and biocomputation

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Hybrots offer opportunities for biohybrid computing systems, where the energy-efficient, parallel processing abilities of neurons are used to support computation. Such systems blur the line between living organisms and machines.[11]

Ethical and philosophical prototyping

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As Hhbrots become more autonomous and life-like, they raise pressing ethical questions: What constitutes consciousness? Should hybrid systems have rights? These questions are increasingly relevant in law and philosophy.[5]

Environmental monitoring and agriculture

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Equipped with biological sensors, hybrots could serve as adaptive tools for monitoring pollutants or assessing soil health. Applications in precision agriculture could lead to better resource efficiency.[12]

Medical and healthcare innovations

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Interaction of bacteria with variously shaped cargoes

Biohybrid robots may one day assist in targeted therapy, such as drug delivery or microsurgery. Their capacity for navigating complex biological environments offers promise for next-generation medical devices.[13]

Military and surveillance applications

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Though ethically contentious, hybrots might find use in military or surveillance settings, offering adaptability and decision-making capabilities in complex environments.[14]

Educational and public engagement tools

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Hybrots provide engaging tools for STEM education and public science outreach, demonstrating principles of neuroscience, robotics, and bioethics in an accessible, interactive format.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Potter, S. M., Wagenaar, D. A., & DeMarse, T. B. (2003). Hybrots: Hybrids of Living Neurons and Robots for Studying Neural Computation. Georgia Tech.
  2. ^ Guix, M., Meyer, A. K., Koch, B., & Schmidt, O. G. (2020). Biohybrid soft robots with self-stimulating skeletons. Science Robotics, 6(55), eabe7577. Published 21 April 2021. https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.abe7577
  3. ^ Hoffmann, M., & Pfeifer, R. (2012). The implications of embodiment for behavior and cognition: animal and robotic case studies. arXiv preprint arXiv:1202.0440.
  4. ^ Rouleau, N. (2022). Embodied 3D Neural Tissue Cultures for Cognitive Research. In Embodied 3D Neural Tissue Cultures for Cognitive Research (pp. 1–20).
  5. ^ a b Krausová, A. (2024). Robots with Biological Brains: Autonomy and Liability of a Semi-Artificial Life Form. The Lawyer Quarterly.
  6. ^ Feinberg, A. W., Feigel, A., Shevkoplyas, S. S., Sheehy, S., Whitesides, G. M., & Parker, K. K. (2007). Muscular thin films for building actuators and powering devices. Science, 317(5843), 1366–1370. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1146885
  7. ^ Morimoto, Y., Onoe, H., & Takeuchi, S. (2018). Biohybrid robot powered by an antagonistic pair of skeletal muscle tissues. Science Robotics, 3(18), eaat4440. https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aat4440
  8. ^ Aydin, O., Zhang, X., Nuethong, S., Pagan-Diaz, G. J., Bashir, R., Gazzola, M., & Saif, M. T. A. (2019). Neuromuscular actuation of biohybrid motile bots. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(40), 19841–19847. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907051116
  9. ^ Aydin, O., Passaro, A. P., Elhebeary, M., Pagan-Diaz, G. J., Fan, A., Nuethong, S., Bashir, R., Stice, S. L., & Saif, M. T. A. (2020). Development of 3D neuromuscular bioactuators. APL Bioengineering, 4(1), 016107. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5129663
  10. ^ a b Hammer, A. M., & Fong, R. (2024). Biohybrid Intelligence: Combining Biological Neurons with AI Systems. ResearchGate.
  11. ^ Wikipedia contributors. (2024). Biohybrid system. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biohybrid_system
  12. ^ Cornell University. (2024). Biohybrid robots controlled by electrical impulses in mushrooms. Retrieved from https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2024/08/biohybrid-robots-controlled-electrical-impulses-mushrooms
  13. ^ Smith, J. et al. (2024). Applications of Biohybrid Systems in Medicine. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11650542
  14. ^ Forward Future. (2024). Biohybrid Soft Robotics: The Surge of Living Machines. Retrieved from https://www.forwardfuture.ai/p/biohybrid-soft-robotics-the-surge-of-living-machines
  15. ^ Potter, S. M., et al. (2006). Hybrots: Hybrid Neural-Robotic Systems for Studying Learning and Memory.
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