Hybridizing Biology and Robotics through Integration for Deployable Systems (HyBRIDS)

Robotic platforms are deployed in various national security contexts, but many operational environments and applications remain out of reach for existing technologies. Nature provides inspiration and solutions to advance robotic technologies, but the performance of biological systems remains largely unmatched even as robotic systems become increasingly sophisticated. Recent advancements in—coupled with the convergence of—engineering and biology have propelled the development of biohybrid robots, which combine biological and synthetic components. Biohybrid systems could have distinct advantages over traditional synthetic robots in some operational contexts. While fully engineered abiotic systems prioritize controllability and precision for on-demand performance, biological systems inherently excel in .... Read More