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With efficiencies derived from evolution, growth and learning, humans are very well-tuned for locomotion 1 . Metabolic energy used during walking can be partly replaced by power input from an exoskeleton 2 , but is it possible to reduce metabolic rate without providing an additional energy source? This would require an improvement in the efficiency of the human–machine system as a whole, and would be remarkable given the apparent optimality of human gait. Here we show that the metabolic rate of human walking can be reduced by an unpowered ankle exoskeleton. We built a lightweight elastic device that acts in parallel with the user's calf muscles, off-loading muscle force and thereby reducing the metabolic energy consumed in contractions. The device uses a mechanical clutch to hold a spring as it is stretched and relaxed by ankle movements when the foot is on the ground, helping to fulfil one function of the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. Unlike muscles, however, the clutch sustains force passively. The exoskeleton consumes no chemical or electrical energy and delivers no net positive mechanical work, yet reduces the metabolic cost of walking by 7.2 ± 2.6% for healthy human users under natural conditions, comparable to savings with powered devices. Improving upon walking economy in this way is analogous to altering the structure of the body such that it is more energy-effective at walking. While strong natural pressures have already shaped human locomotion, improvements in efficiency are still possible. Much remains to be learned about this seemingly simple behaviour. The attachment of a simple, unpowered, mechanical exoskeleton to the foot and ankle results in a net saving of 7% of the metabolic energy expended in human walking. Exoskeletons that act like muscles Walking is the most commonplace of activities, yet we know remarkably little about it and no robot has yet reproduced the grace and poise of a human walk. Steven Collins et al . now show that the attachment of a simple mechanical exoskeleton to the foot and ankle results in a 7% reduction of the metabolic energy expended in walking. This work shows that net energy input is not a fundamental requirement for reducing the metabolic cost of human walking, and that reducing calf muscle forces — while also fulfilling normal ankle functions and minimizing penalties associated with added mass or restricted motions — can be beneficial.

In artificial nervous systems, conductivity changes indicate synaptic weight updates, but they provide limited information compared to living organisms. We present the pioneering design and production of an electrochromic neuromorphic transistor employing color updates to represent synaptic weight for in-sensor computing. Here, we engineer a specialized mechanism for adaptively regulating ion doping through an ion-exchange membrane, enabling precise control over color-coded synaptic weight, an unprecedented achievement. The electrochromic neuromorphic transistor not only enhances electrochromatic capabilities for hardware coding but also establishes a visualized pattern-recognition network. Integrating the electrochromic neuromorphic transistor with an artificial whisker, we simulate a bionic reflex system inspired by the longicorn beetle, achieving real-time visualization of signal flow within the reflex arc in response to environmental stimuli. This research holds promise in extending the biomimetic coding paradigm and advancing the development of bio-hybrid interfaces, particularly in incorporating color-based expressions. The communication of colour information stands as one of the most immediate and widespread methods of interaction among biological entities. Xu et al. report an electrochromic neuromorphic transistor employing color updates to represent synaptic weight for real-time visualised in-sensor computing.

Bioinspired actuators with stimuli-responsive and deformable properties are being pursued in fields such as artificial tissues, medical devices and diagnostics, and intelligent biosensors. These applications require that actuator systems have biocompatibility, controlled deformability, biodegradability, mechanical durability, and stable reversibility. Herein, we report a bionic actuator system consisting of stimuli-responsive genetically engineered silk–elastin-like protein (SELP) hydrogels and wood-derived cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), which respond to temperature and ionic strength underwater by ecofriendly methods. Programmed site-selective actuation can be predicted and folded into three-dimensional (3D) origami-like shapes. The reversible deformation performance of the SELP/CNF actuators was quantified, and complex spatial transformations of multilayer actuators were demonstrated, including a biomimetic flower design with selective petal movements. Such actuators consisting entirely of biocompatible and biodegradable materials will offer an option toward constructing stimuli-responsive systems for in vivo biomedicine soft robotics and bionic research.

Electronic skins with deep and comprehensive liquid information detection are desired to endow intelligent robotic devices with augmented perception and autonomous regulation in common droplet environments. At present, one technical limitation of electronic skins is the inability to perceive the liquid sliding information as realistically as humans and give feedback in time. To this critical challenge, in this work, a self-powered bionic droplet electronic skin is proposed by constructing an ingenious co-layer interlaced electrode network and using an overpass connection method. The bionic skin is used for droplet environment reconnaissance and converts various dynamic droplet sliding behaviors into electrical signals based on triboelectricity. More importantly, the two-dimensional sliding behavior of liquid droplets is comprehensively perceived by the e-skin and visually fed back in real-time on an indicator. Furthermore, the flow direction warning and intelligent closed-loop control of water leakage are also achieved by this e-skin, achieving the effect of human neuromodulation. This strategy compensates for the limitations of e-skin sensing droplets and greatly narrows the gap between artificial e-skins and human skins in perceiving functions. Electronic skins are limited in perceiving liquid sliding information as realistically as humans and provide real-time feedback. Here, Xu et al. developed a self-powered bionic droplet electronic skin with co-layer interlaced electrode networks and overpass connection technology to sense complex water motion.

Corals have evolved as optimized photon augmentation systems, leading to space-efficient microalgal growth and outstanding photosynthetic quantum efficiencies. Light attenuation due to algal self-shading is a key limiting factor for the upscaling of microalgal cultivation. Coral-inspired light management systems could overcome this limitation and facilitate scalable bioenergy and bioproduct generation. Here, we develop 3D printed bionic corals capable of growing microalgae with high spatial cell densities of up to 10 9  cells mL −1 . The hybrid photosynthetic biomaterials are produced with a 3D bioprinting platform which mimics morphological features of living coral tissue and the underlying skeleton with micron resolution, including their optical and mechanical properties. The programmable synthetic microenvironment thus allows for replicating both structural and functional traits of the coral-algal symbiosis. Our work defines a class of bionic materials that is capable of interacting with living organisms and can be exploited for applied coral reef research and photobioreactor design. Corals have evolved as finely tuned light collectors. Here, the authors report on the 3D printing of coral-inspired biomaterials, that mimic the coral-algal symbiosis; these bionic corals lead to dense microalgal growth and can find applications in algal biotechnology and applied coral science.

Multimodal phototheranostics utilizing single molecules offer a “one-and-done” approach, presenting a convenient and effective strategy for cancer therapy. However, therapies based on conventional photosensitizers often suffer from limitations such as a single photosensitizing mechanism, restricted tumor penetration and retention, and the requirement for multiple irradiations, which significantly constrain their application. In this report, we present an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) bacteria hybrid bionic robot to address above issues. This bionic robot is composed of multifunctional AIEgen (INX-2) and Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN), i.e., EcN@INX-2. The EcN@INX-2 bionic robot exhibits near-infrared II (NIR-II) fluorescence emission and demonstrates efficient photodynamic and photothermal effects, as well as tumor-targeting capabilities. These features are facilitated by the complementary roles of INX-2 and EcN. The robot successfully enables in vivo multimodal imaging and therapy of colon cancer models in female mice through various mechanisms, including the activation of anti-tumor immunity, as well as photodynamic and photothermal therapy. Our study paves an avenue for designing multifunctional diagnostic agents for targeted colon cancer therapy through image-guided combinational immunotherapy. The utility of photosensitizers for cancer therapies is often hindered by a single photosensitizing mechanism, the need of multiple irradiations, and limited tumor penetration and retention. Here, the authors address these issues by developing an aggregation-induced emission luminogen bacteria hybrid bionic robot that enables multimodal imaging and therapy and activates anti-tumor immunity.

The blockage inside the flow channel of drip irrigation emitters is a key issue that restricts their usability. The low-speed vortex zone that exists in traditional channel design is the core reason. This study designed four different structures of pit bionic drip irrigation emitters based on the principles of plant bionics. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation method was adopted and the flow velocity and turbulence energy of four structures were analyzed. The discrete element method (DEM) was combined to study the motion trajectory of 0.1 mm sand particles. The results indicate that schemes 1, 2, and 4 all have significant low-speed vortices in the return water zone (D zone). The situation in scheme 3 is relatively mild and the probability of sand particles depositing in the channel decreases. The flow channel structure was further optimized based on the original foundation and eight types of sand particles with different sizes were selected for anti clogging experiments. The relative traffic of the optimized model in the third and fourth stages was 13.34% and 14.51% higher. In terms of the sensitive particle size causing blockage, the maximum allowable particle size of the optimized flow channel structure was nearly twice that of scheme 3. When the particle size was 0.120, 0.165, 0.187, 0.212, and 0.245 mm, the sedimentation rate was reduced by an average of 58.02%. This study confirms that optimized drip irrigation emitters have better anti clogging performance under multiple particle size drip irrigation conditions.

Dexterous manipulation in robotics requires coordinated sensing, signal processing, and actuation for real-time, precise object control. Despite advances, the current artificial tactile sensory system lacks the proficiency of the human sensory system in detecting multidirectional forces and multimodal stimuli. To address this limitation, we present a bio-inspired “slip-actuated” tactile sensing system, incorporating dynamic direct-current generator into stretchable electronic textile. This self-powered bionic tactile sensing system operates in conjunction with a normal force sensor, paralleling the functions of human rapid-adapting and slow-adapting mechanoreceptors, respectively. Furthermore, we tailor and integrate the bionic tactile sensing system with robotic fingers, creating a bionic design that mimics human skin and skeleton with mechanoreceptors. By embedding this system into the feedback loop of robotic fingers, we are able to achieve fast slip and grasp monitoring, as well as effective object manipulation. Moreover, we perform quantitative analysis based on Hertzian contact mechanics to fundamentally understand the dependency of output on force and velocity in our sensor system. The results of this work provide an artificial tactile sensing mechanism for AI-driven smart robotics with human-inspired tactile sensing capabilities for future manufacturing, healthcare, and human-machine interaction. Traditional tactile sensors struggle to detect multidirectional forces and multimodal stimuli. Here, the authors developed a slip-actuated tactile sensor with a dynamic DC generator in stretchable E-textile, achieving slip detection in robotic tasks.

The interface between plant organelles and non-biological nanostructures has the potential to impart organelles with new and enhanced functions. Here, we show that single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) passively transport and irreversibly localize within the lipid envelope of extracted plant chloroplasts, promote over three times higher photosynthetic activity than that of controls, and enhance maximum electron transport rates. The SWNT–chloroplast assemblies also enable higher rates of leaf electron transport in vivo through a mechanism consistent with augmented photoabsorption. Concentrations of reactive oxygen species inside extracted chloroplasts are significantly suppressed by delivering poly(acrylic acid)–nanoceria or SWNT–nanoceria complexes. Moreover, we show that SWNTs enable near-infrared fluorescence monitoring of nitric oxide both ex vivo and in vivo , thus demonstrating that a plant can be augmented to function as a photonic chemical sensor. Nanobionics engineering of plant function may contribute to the development of biomimetic materials for light-harvesting and biochemical detection with regenerative properties and enhanced efficiency. Imparting non-native functions to living plants using nanoparticles opens the possibility of creating synthetic materials that can grow and repair themselves using sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. It is now shown that, both in plant extracts and living leaves, carbon nanotubes traverse and localize within the lipid envelope of plant chloroplasts, enhance their photosynthetic activity, and enable near-infrared fluorescence monitoring of nitric oxide.

Aiming at the problems of high working resistance and high energy consumption in potato crop harvesting in sticky soil, this paper designs a potato bionic drag-reducing digging shovel based on the streamline shape of catfish head. Based on the theoretical analysis and discrete element method (DEM) simulation, the main factors affecting the digging resistance are the angle of entry, forward speed and vibration frequency, and the digging resistance increases with the increase of forward speed, and decreases with the increase of vibration frequency. Through the orthogonal test in the field, the optimal working parameters of the drag reduction performance are determined with the digging resistance as the test index, and the comparative test of the different shovel shapes is carried out with this parameter. The results show that the optimal solution is to use bionic shovel, with an entry angle of 15°, an operating speed of 0.27m/s, and a vibration frequency of 6Hz. The average digging resistance of the bionic shovel is 3612.86N, and the bionic digging shovel reduces resistance by 17.76% relative to an ordinary flat shovel, and 21.09% relative to the plane triangle shovel. The effect of drag reduction is remarkable, and the structure of the digging shovel bionic is reasonable, which can satisfy the requirements of resistance reduction and consumption reduction of potato harvesting under the conditions of sticky and heavy soils.