A research paper titled Biological Organisms as End Effectors explores the oddball approach of giving small animals jobs as grippers at the end of a robotic arm. Researchers show that pill bugs and chitons — small creatures with exoskeletons and reflexive movements — have behaviors making them useful as grippers, with no harm done to the creatures in the process. The prototypes are really just proofs of concept, but it’s a novel idea that does work in at least a simple way.
Pill bugs reflexively close, and in the process can grasp and hold lightweight objects. The release is simply a matter of time; researchers say that after about 115 seconds a held object is released naturally when the pill bug’s shell opens. While better control over release would be good, the tests show basic functionality is present.
Another test involves the chiton, a small mollusk that attaches to things with suction and can act as an underwater end effector in a similar way. Interestingly, a chiton is able to secure itself to wood and cork; materials that typical suction cups do not work on.
A chiton also demonstrates the ability to manipulate a gripped object’s orientation. Chitons seek dark areas, so by shining light researchers could control in which direction the creature attempts to “walk”, which manipulates the held object. A chiton’s grip is strong, but release was less predictable than with pill bugs. It seems chitons release an object more or less when they feel like it.
This concept may remind readers somewhat grimly of grippers made from dead spiders, but researchers emphasize that we have an imperative to not mistreat these living creatures, but to treat them carefully as we temporarily employ them in much the same manner as dog sleds or horses have been used for transportation, or carrier pigeons for messages. Short videos of both pill bug and chiton grippers are embedded below, just under the page break.
and the first cyborgs are born
Cybugs!
Pretty sure the Flintstones had this down back in the 60’s.
It’s a living. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
“researchers emphasize that we have an imperative to not mistreat these living creatures” when they get tired just pop them in boiling water for a bouillabaisse.
That’s quite a treat!
Or more to the point, lobster, boiled alive.
This story really bugs me.
[Insect witty comment here]
👍
The jokes keep rolling in.
okay
IF “you can make it to Hackaday by gluing a bug on a stick” = TRUE
printf(“I think we’ve just hit rock bottom”)
ELSE
printf(“Todo: glue a bird on a stick and see if it flies”)
printf(“Notify Hackaday”)
END IF
Depends on what’s at the other end of the stick. If it’s a coconut, I have heard shallows can manage…
African or European?
Flea circus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea_circus
Quote: “In 1578, the London blacksmith Mark Scaliot produced a lock and chain that were attached to a flea.”
Enslave the invertebrates!
Try things like this with cats and you won’t believe all the people who will be looking to rip your hide off.
Cat wants to rip your hide off regardless…
Jokes aside, we do have to draw the line of sentence somewhere.
To say nothing of the cats who WILL rip your hide off and rip out several important organs as well.
Well, they do scale up and down… it’s all a question of what is the meridian of “cat”…
You don’t have to feed a robot claw.
– What is my purpose?
– You grip things.
– Oh my god!
– Yeah, welcome to the club, pal!
I think a vacuum pickup tool is going to be easier to manage, and able to work in more conditions, and with no ethical oversight needed.
But this does raise an interesting question, why can they grip cork when suction cups can’t? How do we improve our suction cup tech? Why aren’t we hanging posters on the wall with little robot shellfish?