Slashdot Mirror
Robot Stingray Is Powered By Rat Heart Cells (ieee.org)
An anonymous reader writes: Harvard researchers report in the journal Science this week that they've built a "bio-inspired swimming robot that mimics a ray fish [and] can be guided by light." The robot's body consists of "a cast elastomer body with a skeleton of gold, along with a single layer of carefully aligned muscle fibers harvested from neonatal rat hearts." The fibers were genetically modified to respond to pulses of blue light and structured along the body of the robot such that contractions result in a repetitive undulating motion, propelling the robot forward. "About 200,000 live rat heart cells form the muscle layer that powers the robot, which has a body 16.3 mm long and weighs just over 10 grams," reports IEEE. "At full tilt, it can swim at a speed of 3.2 mm/s, which isn't bad for such a tiny thing." You can watch the video that shows the robot being led through a 250 mm long obstacle course.
Is this another FBI thing? Do cell phone even work under water?
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
Considering the creatures that usually claim they got abducted, I can only see this as a good thing.
The bad thing is that the aliens find out just WHAT they got and send them back.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
[Oblig] How long before the fricking lasers get attached to the heads of the fricking sharks?
Gently reply
We're dividing out time amongst Hacker News, Reddit, Soylent, 4chan, Fark and Ars Technica. All while ensuring we post to Twitter and Facebook only the choicest nuggets of web to make ourselves look in-the-know and super smart. Where are you?
On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
I, for one, welcome our new zombie rat-stingray overlords.
Seriously, add some fiber optics, LEDs, and a Raspberry Pi and we have some awesome robots. Think BigDog / PetMan but organically actuated. Encapsulate the fibers in the special fluid that keeps them alive and we have a cool metal-free actuator (that currently only lives a week). Still very cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
It’s a stunning creation. Hope that in nearest future this bio-engineering technology will be used for creation new organism and for peaceful purposes only. And I want to traverse one subject. This robot built of living animals cells. It forces a question: Is it alive?
Can you say Cylon Raider?
We aren't supposed to as the motivation is still unknown.
I'm just waiting for the robot Steve Urwin
Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
Was it infinitely improbable that it would also have a heart of gold?
3. Profit!
2. ???
1. On Soviet Slashdot, a Beowulf cluster of alien Natalie Portman overlords welcomes YOU!
The Joy Can!!*
* - Orphan's heart not included
This reminds me of the invention that Rusty makes that is powered by the heart and soul of an orphan boy. It is a little creepy.
-We use only the finest baby rats, dew picked and flown from Iraq, cleansed in finest quality spring water, lightly killed, and then sealed in a succulent Swiss quintuple smooth treble cream milk chocolate envelope and lovingly frosted with glucose.
-That's as maybe, it's still a rat.
- What else?
Rome taught me patience and assiduous application to detail. Virtues which temper the boldness of great, general views.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to pretend I didn't just read that headline and go on with my day as if nothing happened.
You are welcome on my lawn.
"This video is unlisted. Be considerate and think twice before sharing."
Way to go, Slashdot!
did you at least take the bones out?
if we took the bones out it wouldn't be crunchy