Researchers from Tokyo Tech have developed a new technique using ultraviolet laser processing to create intricate microstructures that are essential for building biohybrid actuators with complex muscle cell arrangements. This innovative method allows for quick and easy fabrication of microstructures with detailed patterns, enabling biohybrid actuators to achieve lifelike movements.
Biomimetic Robots and Biohybrid Actuators
Biomimetic robots mimic the movements and functions of living organisms, offering a platform to study muscle biology and develop more efficient robots. Biohybrid actuators consist of soft materials and muscle cells that replicate the forces of real muscles, enabling lifelike movements, self-healing, high efficiency, and a high power-to-weight ratio. Anisotropic alignment of muscle cells in biohybrid actuators is crucial for achieving complex and flexible movements similar to those of native muscle tissues.
Ultraviolet Laser Processing for Fabricating Complex Microstructures
Traditional methods of fabricating complex microstructures involve multiple intricate steps, making rapid fabrication challenging. Researchers at Tokyo Tech have introduced an innovative UV laser-processing technique to create curved microgrooves that guide the alignment of muscle cells in various patterns. This approach simplifies the fabrication process and allows for the creation of more lifelike biohybrid actuators.
The team used this technique to develop biohybrid actuators with curved muscle patterns, resulting in twisting-like motions and the formation of 3D free-standing structures upon electrical stimulation. The UV laser-processing method offers a quicker and easier way to fabricate tunable microgroove patterns, leading to the creation of biohybrid actuators capable of complex and flexible movements.