Computationally Assisted Design and Selection of Maneuverable Biological Walking Machines

The intriguing opportunities enabled by the use of living components in biological machines have spurred development a variety muscle-powered biohybrid robots recent years. Among them, several generations tissue-engineered walkers been established as reliable platforms to study untethered locomotion. However, despite these advances, such technology is not mature yet, and major challenges remain. Herein, steps are taken address two them: lack systematic design approaches, common robotics general, case specifically, maneuverability. A dual-ring biobot presented which computationally designed selected exhibit robust forward motion rotational steering. This consists independent muscle actuators four-legged scaffold asymmetric fore/aft direction. integration multiple muscles within its body architecture, combined with differential electrical stimulation, allows robot maneuver. then fabricated experimentally tested, confirming computational predictions turning abilities. Overall, approach based on modeling, simulation, fabrication exemplified this versatile represents route efficiently engineer complex adaptive functionalities.