Biochemical sensing b/n organisms could have far reaching implications in ecology, biology, and robotics. A Virginia Tech scientist used a mathematical model to demonstrate that bacteria can control the behavior of an inanimate device like a robot. “Basically we were trying to find out from the mathematical model if we could build a living microbiome on a nonliving host and control the host through the microbiome,” said Ruder, an assistant professor of biological systems engineering in both the College of Agriculture and Life sciences and the College of Engineering.
“We found that robots may indeed be able to have a working brain,” he said. For future experiments, Ruder is building real-world robots that will have the ability to read bacterial gene expression levels in E. coli using miniature fluorescent microscopes. The robots will respond to bacteria he will engineer in his lab.
APPS: In agriculture, bacteria-robot model systems could enable robust studies that explore the interactions between soil bacteria and livestock. In healthcare, further understanding of bacteria’s role in controlling gut physiology could lead to bacteria-based prescriptions to treat mental and physical illnesses. Droids could execute tasks such as deploying bacteria to remediate oil spills.
The findings also add to the research about human body bacteria that are thought to regulate health,mood, behavior. The study was inspired by experiments where mating behavior of fruit flies was manipulated using bacteria, and mice that showed lower stress when implanted with probiotics.
METHOD: Ruder’s approach revealed unique decision-making behavior by a bacteria-robot system by coupling and computationally simulating widely accepted equations describing 3 distinct elements: engineered gene circuits in E. coli, microfluid bioreactors, and robot movement.
~The bacteria exhibited genetic circuitry by either turning green or red, according to what they ate. The theoretical robot was equipped with sensors and a miniature microscope to measure the color of bacteria telling it where and how fast to go depending upon the pigment and intensity of color.
The model also revealed higher order functions in a surprising way. In one instance, as the bacteria were directing the robot toward more food, the robot paused before quickly making its final approach – a classic predatory behavior of higher order animals that stalk prey.
Ruder’s modeling study also demonstrates that these sorts of biosynthetic experiments could be done in the future with a minimal amount of funds, opening up the field to a much larger pool of researchers.
http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2015/07/071615-cals-bacteriabrain.html
Scientist shows bacteria could control robots – Virginia Tech from VirginiaTech on Vimeo.
Waren Ruder used a mathematical model to demonstrate that bacteria can control the behavior of an inanimate device like a robot. “We hope to help democratize the field of synthetic biology for students and researchers all over the world with this model,” said Ruder. “In the future, rudimentary robots and E. coli that are already commonly used separately in classrooms could be linked with this model to teach students from elementary school through the Ph.D.-level about bacterial relationships with other organisms.”
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