XENOBOTS

A living robot? Quite an antithesis.

When the news first came in January 2020, it was the hottest topic that scientists divulged in. It seemed like a top-notch amalgamation of biology and technology.

These microscopic bots appeared to have jumped out of controversial theories and science fiction.

Xenobots are named after the frog- Xenopus leaevis.

In a traditional sense, robots are imagined as buff, metal-clad machines. However, in this case, the Xenobots are fabricated from skin cells and heart muscle cells. These biological units are frog embryo stem cells.

The primary motive for creating such a piece of tech was an experimental curiosity. With time, the Xenobots can perform more practical operations on animal bodies such as helping with target drug delivery and cleaning clogged arteries.

The physiology and function of the bot’s body are designed using an evolutionary algorithm. Basically, it’s just a trial and error process.

Right now, the framework of the robot is contrived of biological matter. It is equivalent to saying that, they’ve substituted cells in place of an alloy.

The robot, therefore, does not have any consciousness.

Its bodily functions are solely based on an algorithm. It’s safe to say that we’re not breaking any ethical boundaries.

On deeper thought, it is easier to approve a robot shell made up of plant-based origins.

It's daunting to think about the possibility, that one can make biological robots that may have consciousness. Needless to say, it would be fraudulent to do so, but we cannot deny the possibility of it happening.

Science has always been a double-edged sword. Along with saving and nourishing lives, advancement in tech and biology will lead to more sophisticated cyber-crime and possibly even bio-crime.

Welcome to the future.

PS. No. This is not a sci-fi movie plot. Xenobots are real. Hmmph!

Although, it would take a great deal of imagination to come up with a plot like this one.

It’s true, truth is stranger than fiction.