Researchers at Cornell University in the United States have successfully developed a "bio hybrid robot" composed of fungi and computers. This type of robot is capable of converting fungal electrical signals into digital instructions, opening up new avenues for building more sustainable robots. The relevant paper was published in the latest issue of the journal Science Robotics. Biological hybrid robots "is an emerging research field that involves combining plant, animal, and fungal cells with synthetic materials to manufacture robots. However, the high cost and ethical issues associated with using animal cells, as well as the slow response of plant cells to external stimuli, have always been challenges in this field. The latest research shows that fungi may be the key to solving these problems. This time, researchers first cultivated mycelia from shiitake mushrooms and guided them to grow on 3D printed scaffolds covered with electrodes. The interconnected hyphae will generate electrical pulses in response to environmental changes, similar to the signals produced by neurons communicating in the brain. Due to the connection between the mycelial network and electrodes, its electrical pulses can communicate with computer interfaces. Next, the computer converts these electrical pulses into digital instructions and transmits them to the robot's valves, motors, and other parts, instructing them to perform forward and other operations. The fungal computer interface enables effective communication between mycelium and robots. When researchers irradiate the mycelium with light, they generate electrical pulses to drive the robot to move. Researchers have found that fungi do not like light, so when more ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the interface, the electrical signal response generated by the fungi is stronger, which makes the robot move faster. Fungi are extremely sensitive to the environment, and compared to traditional synthetic robots, the new fungal "bio hybrid robot" performs better in detecting chemical pollutants, toxins, or pathogens in farmland. Fungi can survive in extremely salty water or cold environments, which gives these robots an advantage over animal or plant "bio hybrid robots" in extreme environments. Fungal 'bio hybrid robots' can also assist in detecting radiation in hazardous environments. In addition, these robots require less cleaning work and leave less harmful substances after completing their tasks. (New Society)