Xenobots, the world’s first living robots

Posted by ofou on Friday November 26, 2021 @05:27AM
from the growbyginkgo.com dept.

https://www.growbyginkgo.com/2020/06/29/is-dna-hardware-or-software/

( 5 comments | 9 points | on HN )

Re:Xenobots, the world’s first living robots by Sporktacular on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @11:18AM (#29405352)

Mmm, are they though? https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/11/mobile-clusters-of-c...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Xenobots, the world’s first living robots by r00fus on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @02:29PM (#29408077)

Definitely seems like cargo-cult artificial life. A semblance of living, reproducing devices - is that really useful?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Xenobots, the world’s first living robots by LetThereBeLight on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @11:51AM (#29405892)

Should add 2020 to the title. This is the relevant paper: https://www.pnas.org/content/117/4/1853

I am curious to hear what HN thinks of calling these things robots. These are frog embryos that have been surgically reshaped and had muscle cells implanted in them.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Xenobots, the world’s first living robots by drclau on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @11:52AM (#29405920)

While this is amazing technology and there will no doubt be useful applications for such devices (for lack of a better word) in various fields, do we really need to play with fire and make them self-replicating?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Xenobots, the world’s first living robots by fao_ on Wednesday December 01, 2021 @11:54AM (#29405953)

It's necessary for it in the first place, given that they placed evolutionary constraints on it for it to work.

[ Parent | on HN ]