Waren Ruder used a mathematical model to demonstrate that bacteria can control the behavior of an inanimate device like a robot.
Credit: Virginia Tech
In a paper published July 16 in
Scientific Reports, which is
part of the Nature Publishing Group, 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.
On a broad scale, understanding the biochemical sensing between
organisms could have far reaching implications in ecology, biology, and
robotics.
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. Ruder also envisions droids that
could execute tasks such as deploying bacteria to remediate oil spills.
The findings also add to the ever-growing body of research about
bacteria in the human body that are thought to regulate health and mood,
and especially the theory that bacteria also affect behavior.
The study was inspired by real-world experiments where the mating
behavior of fruit flies was manipulated using bacteria, as well as mice
that exhibited signs of lower stress when implanted with probiotics.
Ruder's approach revealed unique decision-making behavior by a
bacteria-robot system by coupling and computationally simulating widely
accepted equations that describe three distinct elements: engineered
gene circuits in
E. coli, microfluid bioreactors, and robot movement.
The bacteria in the mathematical experiment exhibited their genetic
circuitry by either turning green or red, according to what they ate. In
the mathematical model, 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.
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research funded the mathematical modeling of gene circuitry in
E. coli,
and the Virginia Tech Student Engineers' Council has provided funding
to move these models and resulting mobile robots into the classroom as
teaching tools.
Ruder conducted his research in collaboration with biomedical
engineering doctoral student Keith Heyde, who studies phyto-engineering
for biofuel synthesis.
"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 Ph.D.-level
about bacterial relationships with other organisms."
Ruder spoke about his development in a recent
video.
Story Source:
The above post is reprinted from
materials provided by
Virginia Tech. The original item was written by Amy Loeffler.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
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