The U.S. military is exploring the use of animal muscle tissue to create movement for robots. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory believes that their robots could utilize real muscle, the kind that allows most living organisms to move and interact with their environment, rather than relying on mechanical arms, wheels, and other systems for mobility on the battlefield. This idea is an example of the field of “biohybrid” – a combination of machinery and living tissue.
Biohybrid robots are the model that the U.S. military is aiming for in the future.
Modern military robots use batteries to power motors, which then drive axles and turn wheels. A biohybrid robot would replace this entire system with organic muscle tissue grown in a laboratory, which could be used for prosthetic limbs or other appendages. Electrical impulses or chemical stimuli would control the muscles.
One of the significant advantages of using organic muscle tissue is its inherent flexibility. Muscles and tendons can stretch as an animal moves across uneven terrain, especially when it encounters unexpected obstacles.
A biohybrid robot controlled by light
Dr. Dean Culver, a scientist at the Army Research Laboratory, stated:
“If you run across a field and your foot steps into a hole, even before the signal from your foot reaches your brain to say, ‘Oh no, I’m in a hole,’ your body has already moved to adapt to that sudden change. Part of this is due to how the control system is designed in living organisms — it’s clearly quite remarkable — but another part is thanks to the bending and flexibility of muscles and tendons, allowing those control systems to adapt. So, that’s a tremendous capability that we could provide.”
Wheeled robots cannot do this; instead, they must rely on shock absorbers to compensate for sudden shifts.
A cheetah can run up to 80 km/h across uneven grasslands, thanks to its muscles and tendons. Could military robots do the same?
“Clearly, robots in military applications will encounter unpredictable and uncertain environments — they need to be able to adapt to things they weren’t programmed for,” Culver said.
Biohybrid robots show great promise, but there are still many considerations. Are humans ready for robots with legs and real biological muscles moving on the battlefield? The idea of machines operating to serve living beings raises some concerns, especially when considering living tissue as an integral part of machinery — particularly as a weapon of war.
