BIOMELD: A Modular Framework for Designing and Producing Biohybrid Machines

与标准机器人相比，生物混合机器（BHMs）将活细胞驱动器与人工材料相结合，以实现更大的自主性、灵活性和能源效率。然而，BHMs是在单个研究小组的竖井中开发的，这使得它们的开发更像是依赖于个人知识、直觉和技能的艺术，而不是标准化的决策过程。为了推动BHMs制造向生物智能范式和基于模型的工程方向发展，我们提出了一种BHMs自我监测和自我控制的制造管道。为了实现这样的管道，我们需要(i)开发一个建模和仿真框架，它将简化设计、报价、制造、验证和报告的过程，从而显著减少容易出错的手工步骤。此外，考虑到BHMs中的执行器是活细胞，这极大地扩展了参数空间，我们认为ai引导的建模过程将极大地受益于BHMs的开发，以优化搜索最有效的设计；（ii）通过开发原理验证的可重构模块化导管BHM，对平台进行实验测试、优化和验证；（iii）将所有必要的制造设备组合成一个集成的生物智能制造单元（BIMC），并展示其适应性操作。作为原理验证，我们将使用BHM导管，因为它是一种创新的医疗设备，可以到达人体难以到达的区域并在那里释放药物。

Bio-hybrid machines (BHMs) combine living cell actuators with artificial materials in order to achieve greater autonomy, flexibility, and energy efficiency compared to standard robots. However, BHMs are developed in silos of individual research groups, making their development more of an art relying on individual knowledge, intuition, and skills than on standardized decision-making processes. To push the manufacturing of BHMs towards bio-intelligent paradigm and model-based engineering, we propose to develop a self monitoring and self-controlling manufacturing pipeline of BHMs. To realize such a pipeline, we would need to (i) Develop a modeling and simulation framework that will streamline the processes of design, quoting, manufacturing, verification, and reporting, thus significantly reducing error-prone manual steps. Also, given that actuators in BHMs are living cells, which greatly expands the parameter space, we believe that the development of BHMs would greatly benefit from AI-guided modeling process to optimize search for the most efficient design; (ii) To experimentally test, optimize, and verify the platform by developing a proof-of-principle reconfigurable modular catheter BHM; (iii) To group all necessary manufacturing equipment into an integrated bio-intelligent manufacturing cell (BIMC) and demonstrate its adaptable operation. As a proof-of-principle, we will use BHM catheter as it is an innovative medical device that would be able to arrive into hard-to-reach regions of the human body and release drugs there.