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turn jellyfish into biohybrid robots to help deep ocean exploration

Deep sea pioneers: Caltech’s jellyfish biohybrid robots to unveil ocean secrets

 

Jellyfish can’t do much besides swim, sting, eat, and breed. They don’t even have brains. Yet, these simple creatures can easily journey to the depths of the oceans in a way that humans, despite all our sophistication, cannot.

Jellyfish, commonly referred to as sea jellies, are composed of approximately 95 percent water, with only about five percent solid matter. Despite lacking brains, blood, and hearts, these simple gelatinous organisms navigate and thrive in the ocean depths by rhythmically pulsating their bell-shaped bodies.

Inspired by their energy-saving locomotion strategies, researchers at Caltech have devised an innovative method to utilize their natural capabilities for deep ocean exploration. Their study, published in the journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics in February 2024, details how transforming jellyfish into biohybrid robots can enable the collection of crucial data from the ocean.

What is a biohybrid robot

A biohybrid machine is any machine that uses a biological material to perform a functional task, such as sensing, processing, or actuation. The advantage of using biological materials in robots is that these machines, unlike non-biological counterparts, have the ability to sense and adapt to their environments in real time. 

Biohybrid jellyfish

These jellyfish are equipped with electronics that enhance their swimming capabilities and a prosthetic “hat” that improves their streamlined movement while carrying small payloads. Consequently, these innovative data-gathering devices can measure temperature, salinity, and oxygen levels, providing valuable insights into the effects of climate change on these factors.

Why Jellyfish

It’s well known that the ocean is critical for determining our present and future climate on land, and yet, we still know surprisingly little about the ocean, especially away from the surface.

Jellyfish live throughout the ocean at different temperatures, salinities, and depths as deep as the Mariana Trench. Jellyfish are the original ocean explorers, reaching its deepest corners and thriving just as well in tropical or polar waters, Besideds, jellyfish are 95 percent water and can adapt to high pressures.

The Caltech research goal is to take an unconventional approach inspired by one of the few animals that already successfully explores the entire ocean. The reasearch team’s goal is to capitalize on jellyfish efficiency to enable more thorough and cost-effective ocean exploration.

Ethical-based project

Since they don’t have a brain or the ability to sense pain, we’ve been able to collaborate with bioethicists to develop this biohybrid robotic application in a way that’s ethically principled.

Since they don’t have a brain or the ability to sense pain, researchers have been able to collaborate with bioethicists to develop this biohybrid robotic application in a way that’s ethically principled.

Pacemakers and hats

Insights into the research In earlier experiments, the team attached electronic pacemakers to jellyfish to regulate their swimming speed. They found that increasing the jellyfish’s speed beyond their usual leisurely pace greatly enhanced their energy efficiency. Building on this, they have now added a “forebody,” resembling a hat, to the top of the jellyfish’s bell. These attachments streamline the jellyfish’s movement and provide additional space for sensors and other electronic devices. Microelectronics are used to stimulate the jellyfish. The hats allow us researchers to include sensors to learn more about the ocean.

On the jellyfish health side, researchers explained that the animals are retrieved afther their exploraton mission, so researchers can download the data, remove the electronics, and release the jellyfish back into the ocean or the aquarium. The jellyfish quickly heal, generally in around 24 hours, and are able to return to normal behavior. The team use fully grown jellyfish from a local aquarium and care for them in facilities on campus.

Deep ocean exploration made easier

Caltech research team is particularly interested in using these biohybrid jellyfish robots for deep sea exploration in the Mariana Trench where engineering even conventional robots can be challenging due to the crushing pressures,
Jellyfish are 95 percent water and can adapt to high pressures meaning that only the sensor package would need to be hardened to protect the sensors while the locomotion would be provided by the animal. Additionally, the jellyfish power their own locomotion through feeding, requiring only enough battery power for the sensors in general.
 

Challenges and future plans

Eager to uncover the insights gained from exploring the ocean’s depths for the first time, the Caltech research team has highlighted the challenges of working with animals and emphasizes the need for proper care.
It turns out waterproofing electronics and 3D printed parts is incredibly challenging, especially in seawater.

Figuring out a system that kept the electronics protected and interfaced well with the animal required lots of prototyping and iteration to get everything to fit.

With a keen focus on reducing ocean pollution and minimizing additional waste, the team is now actively investigating the potential of biodegradable electronics for future applications. Jellyfish can be equipped for approximately USD 20 each, potentially enabling the deployment of swarms of robots to conduct more comprehensive ocean exploration in the future.

credit: Interesting Engineering
cover image: Caltech

 

 
 

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