Scientists led by
Oliver Schmidt created the biological robots or biobots powered by
sperm in the Institute for Integrative Nanosciences in Dresden, Germany on
December 2013. It
is also called as biohybrid micro-robot. The researchers
created magnetic nanotubes that were 50 microns long by 5 to 8 microns in
diameter and dropped these into a fluid containing bull sperm.
The tubes were
narrower at one end to stop the sperm from escaping and can be rotated by using
magnetic fields.
The tail-like
flagellum of the sperm cell sticks outside the end of the tube and power the bibot like
a propeller
Benefits
These “biobots” can be
used to guide individual sperm or to deliver targeted doses of drugs or
fertilizing an egg. Schmidt Said that sperm cells are an attractive option
because they are harmless to the human body, do not require an external power
source and swam through viscous liquids.
Till now researchers has only managed to
persuade groups of cells to cooperate with the help of chemical gradients and
magnetic fields.