Cyberplasm

How does it work?

Cyberplasm would need parts that "sense" things, cause movement towards something, and respond. Light and chemical-sensitive cells will act as Cyberplasm's 'eyes' and 'nose.'

For example, Chinese hamster ovary cells are being genetically modified with a gene that from plants that is responsive to light. Another gene that produces nitric oxide, a signaling molecule, would be linked to these cells that are light-responsive.

The release of nitric oxide will allow the mammalian cells to communicate with an electronic brain and muscle cells and molecules to coordinate the robot's movement.

The robot body will be built by attaching muscle cells from a mouse to a flexible, plastic backbone. When it's time for swimming, the electronic brain will stimulate the muscle cells to move in the same type of patterns as the sea lamprey, propelling the robot forward.

Cyberplasm is inspired by Biology

Cyberplasm

Cyberplasm is inspired by features of the sea lamprey with its simple nervous system and undulating movement. The Cyberplasm "bio-hybrid robot" could contain biological molecules taken from bacteria, yeast, plants and animals. Scientists are studying which parts could be used.

In the long term

Researchers have speculated that Cyberplasm could eventually impact the healthcare industry by improving biosensors and drug delivery systems through cellular machines.

"Cyberplasm could eventually be used this way - it just won't be anytime soon... 'The assumption that in three years we were going to build a bio-hybrid robot and have it go out and swim through your veins is not based on the reality of what it's like to do this research.'"

J Ayers, Northeastern University

What could Cyberplasm be used for?

Researchers envision

that this micro-scale

robot could be used in

the future to detect and possibly to treat disease in humans or to sense and remove chemicals in the environment. For example, cyberplasm could be released in areas dangerous for humans such as to detect underwater explosives or mines.

What is Cyberplasm?

Public Concerns

Although Cyberplasm is not designed to reproduce on its own, the public might see it as a "living, artificial" organism due to its moving and sensing properties. People also might not like the fact that these robots cannot be seen and could be used in places without their knowledge.

Cyberplasm is the name of a concept for a tiny robot at the microscopic scale (approx. 1 millimeter in length) that would function like a living creature but be made of engineered biological parts. Scientists are making parts for this robot using knowledge of biology and synthetic biology and starting to put them together. In this presentation you will learn what Cyberplasm could be used for, how it works, and some of the public concerns surrounding Cyberplasm.

This case study was produced by the NCSU Genetic Engineering and Society Center

The expert Delphi study was funded by the Sloan Foundation.

Words of Enthusiasm and Caution

Things to Consider

The project originated from a "sandbox" designed by the NSF and ESPRC to produce transformative ideas with a low probability of succeeding. The event brought together scientists with big ideas for synthetic biology to develop them and compete for funding. The cyberplasm project was chosen as 1 of the 5 that would be funded. It is an example of a conceptual and complicated interdisciplinary synthetic biology project. Work is now being done on the parts of the artificial organism.

Enthusiasm:

"It's science advancing to the point which it can solve even the most tackling technical problems of health."

"The most well received applications tend to be those that are aimed at ameliorating human health."

Caution:

"Regulatory systems are purely science based and they only look at the question of, 'Is it safe?' They don’t necessarily look at the issues of, “Should we do it?” even if it is safe, but there sometimes needs to be that discussion."

"Because of the Frankenstein-like perception that the general public might take on, engagement with the

public well in advance of the time that this could even get out of the laboratory would have to take place extensively."

References and Resources

Our Sloan Foundation funded research project considered how Cyberplasm might be evaluated for safety and benefits, and how the government, researchers, and others can oversee its use to ensure safety. Other societal issues could include privacy, ownership, whether people are informed about its use, and potential military applications.

Cyberplasm was funded by the NSF and UK EPSRC

Robots: Can Biohybrid Model Sink or Swim?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20121010-sink-or-swim-for-biohybrid-robot

Cyberplasm, the Synthetic Biology Microscale Biohybrid Robot

http://www.wired.com/2012/04/cyberplasm-the-synthetic-biology-microscale-biohybrid-robot/

Implementation of Excitatory CMOS Neuron Oscillator for Robot Motion Control Unit

http://dx.doi.org/10.5573/JSTS.2014.14.4.383

Diversity in the utilization of glucose and lactate in synthetic mammalian myotubes generated by engineered configurations of MyoD and E12 in otherwise non-differentiation growth conditions

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.12.002

It is a "proof of concept" project to have scientists and engineers work together to develop ways to combine biological parts together to make a very small robot. The researchers working on a project also hoped to "foster the enthusiasm and interest of lay public and, specifically, for the teaching of science in general and synthetic biology to students."

Cyberplasm is being researched by a variety of researchers including Joseph Ayers, Chris Voigt, Vladimir Parpura, Daniel Frankel, and Yong Bin-Kim.

The expert/stakeholder group had some concern about the health impacts of ingesting Cyberplasm or having these injected into the bloodstream. They did not think there would be great environmental risks, however.

There was a lot of uncertainty about which government agencies would make sure it was safe and beneficial because of the diverse uses and the fact that it is not a “living” organism.

• Who will regulate nano-bio robots?
• Will it depend on product? (FDA medicine/device; EPA detection?)

What our study discovered

The stakeholder and expert group expressed a great deal of skepticism about whether this technology would make it todevelopment and deployment. They were also skeptical that the benefits could be realized.

The group also felt that the public would on average have a negative reaction to Cyberplasm given its ability to sense and deliver chemicals without being seen. They also expressed privacy concerns.