Hardware Podcasts

Episode 147: Miniature living robots - Maria Guix

Robot Talk · 6 Mar 2026 · 31m · Episode 147

What this episode covers

Maria Guix, a senior researcher at the University of Barcelona’s ChemInFlow lab, discusses her work on miniaturized living robots that combine synthetic structures with living muscle cells. She explains how these biohybrid entities, ranging from jellyfish-inspired designs to spring-based walkers, utilize self-stimulation and anisotropy to achieve motion without central nervous control. Guix highlights the challenges of keeping the biological components alive through continuous feeding and waste management, while noting their potential for drug delivery and personalized medicine in the coming decade.

Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
University of Barcelona, Purdue University, MIT, Carnegie Mellon
Also
ChemInFlow lab, Biomel, Robot Talk

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