Biohybrid Futures is a research project aimed at understanding the societal, ethical, and environmental implications of bio-hybrid robotics. These advanced systems combine biological tissues with artificial materials, creating robots that can perform tasks previously unimaginable.
Watch our Spotlight video from Public Policy Southampton (PPS) summarising our project:
Our mission is to create a comprehensive framework for the responsible and ethical development of bio-hybrid robots. Through collaboration with experts, innovators, and the public, we seek to address the challenges and opportunities presented by this transformative technology.
You can hear more about our work in this episode of the PolicyPod, where we review the importance of early engagement in emerging technologies, focusing on biohybrid robotics, responsible AI and distributed acoustic sensing for smart cities:
You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts and Podbean.
You can also read our paper on ethics and responsibility in biohybrid robotics research:
Mestre, R., Astobiza, A. M., Webster-Wood, V. A., Ryan, M., & Saif, M. T. A. (2024).Ā Ethics and responsibility in biohybrid robotics research.Ā Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121(31), e2310458121.Ā https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2310458121.
Check out our other outputs here:
Living machines
Biohybrid robots are an exciting and emerging field at the intersection of biology and robotics. These innovative systems integrate living biological tissues with synthetic components to create robots that can perform tasks previously limited to natural organisms. Bio-hybrid robotics represents a revolutionary step forward in technology, with the potential to impact various sectors including healthcare, industry, and environment.
These robots, which integrate living tissues with artificial components, challenge our traditional understanding of life and machines, raising important ethical and societal questions.
Read more about them here.
Objectives
Our project has three main objectives. First, we aim to co-create a research and policy development framework for the responsible, ethical, democratic, and sustainable use of bio-hybrid robots. Second, we engage with experts and innovators to investigate the potential benefits and pitfalls of this technology. Third, we explore public perceptions towards bio-hybrid robotics to ensure that voices from all sectors of society are heard. Through mixed research methods, including Delphi panel, qualitative interviews, contextual inquiry, and conjoint experiments, we will gather diverse perspectives to inform our framework. Additionally, policy analysis will be conducted to assess existing regulatory landscapes and identify areas for improvement in governing bio-hybrid robotics.