Could biohybrid robots be used to study diseases of the peripheral nervous system?

A research team from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (IL, USA) has developed a biohybrid robot that exhibits behavior similar to that of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). This technology could be used to study the progression of various diseases affecting the PNS. Biohybrid robots, consisting of a combination of organic and artificial materials, can mimic the activities of living biological systems. In the study, published in APL Bioengineering, a biohybrid robot consisting of an intact rat spinal cord and a tissue-engineered 3D muscle system was developed. It was demonstrated that the spinal cord was still able to function...