It seems that the realm of dreams is not an exclusive human privilege. Incredible as it may sound, a certain kind of mushrooms – the king oyster mushrooms or Pleurotus eryngii – might be indulging in their own version of REM sleep, more like a dreaming robot.
When their sprawling mycelial networks flicker and pulse, their electrochemical responses mimic the activity of our brain cells. But what happens when we let these impulses run free for a while?
Here’s where an inspiring collaboration between researchers from Cornell University and the University of Florence kicks in. The experts set a culture of king oyster mushrooms in control of a pair of tiny vehicles. What followed was almost surreal – these vehicles began to twitch and move across a flat surface!
Fungal roadways
A series of meticulously planned experiments shed light on the surprising fact that we could use the mushroom’s electrophysiological activity to transform environmental cues into instructions. These instructions, in turn, could command mechanical devices to move.
“As we grew the mycelium into the electronics of a robot, the biohybrid machine began to sense and respond to the environment,” explained Rob Shepherd, a materials scientist at Cornell and the chief researcher for this project.
Is this the first time we’ve toyed with machines using organic matter? Certainly not. Evolution has had a head start of hundreds of millions of years to perfect organic machines that can sense, think, and move as we desire.
But the intriguing part is that the fungi kingdom remains an untapped treasure trove for cybernetic technology.
Mushroom with a robot body
Fungi are remarkably resilient; they can be easily cultured, have simple requirements, and can survive in environments that many other organisms can’t. These traits make molds and mushrooms incredibly enticing to engineers searching for robust living components for a wide range of needs, from sensory to computational.
Fungal threads, normally hidden from view, respond to changes in their surroundings as they navigate through soil in search of resources. Some species exhibit transmembrane activity that resembles our neural responses, providing researchers a possible way to tap into their enigmatic exchanges.
To harness this potential, the researchers fed algorithms based on the extracellular electrophysiology of P. eryngii mycelia into a microcontroller unit. They used spikes of activity triggered by a stimulus (UV light, in this case) to prompt mechanical responses in two types of mobile device.
A wheeling, dealing mushroom?
In controlled experiments, the team relied on signals from a fungal culture to direct the movements of a five-limbed soft robot and a four-wheeled untethered vehicle.
Remarkably, they were not only able to influence but also override the natural impulses produced by the fungi. The researchers had an impressive ability to harness the system’s sensory abilities to reach a particular goal.
“It is also about creating a true connection with the living system. Because once you hear the signal, you also understand what’s going on. Maybe that signal is coming from some kind of stresses. So you’re seeing the physical response, because those signals we can’t visualize, but the robot is making a visualization,” explained study lead author Anand Mishra.
Bridging biology and technology
The melding of natural organisms with technology poses fascinating questions about the future of robotics and bioengineering.
As we consider the potential applications of fungal-based systems, it becomes clear that such innovations could transcend conventional robot design, leading to creations that are not merely machines but rather living entities.
These biohybrids could exhibit adaptive behaviors, respond to environmental stimuli, and operate more efficiently in unpredictable conditions.
The fusion of biology and technology could revolutionize fields such as environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and even search-and-rescue operations, allowing us to employ living organisms in ways that enhance their inherent capabilities and versatility.
Ethical considerations in biohybrid research
As we venture deeper into this exciting intersection of fungi and robotics, it is crucial to engage in thoughtful discourse regarding the ethical implications of biohybrid technology.
With the power to create living machines that can perceive and interact with their surroundings, we must consider the responsibilities associated with such innovations. What rights, if any, should these biohybrids possess?
How do we regulate the use of organic materials in our pursuit of technological advancement? Moreover, fostering public understanding and ensuring transparent communication about the potential risks and benefits will be pivotal in gaining societal support.
Addressing these questions from the outset will help establish a framework that guides our exploration of this burgeoning field in a manner that respects both scientific progress and ethical integrity.
Mushrooms moving robot wheels
While a mushroom-driven robot might appear far-fetched, the true value of the system could be more mundane yet especially crucial.
Imagine simpler mechanical setups interpreting complex changes in environmental cues to release precise amounts of nutrient or pesticide in soil, or responding to rising levels of pollutants and even reacting to changes in our own bodies.
There’s a profound wisdom hidden in the whispers of mushrooms that we’re yet to fully grasp. Given an opportunity, they might even break their silence and tell us what they’re dreaming about. After all, if mushrooms can move wheels, there’s not much they can’t do.
The study is published in the journal Science Robotics.
Video/Image Credit: Robert Sheperd
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