How nanorobots and light may cure us

The combination of biological components and artificial ones emerges into what we called hybrid machines or robots. Hybrid nano-robots convert fuels available in our body to generate propulsion force to swim and will eventually be used in vivo for transporting drugs to target locations in a controlled manner. On a larger scale, we use 3D bioprinting to fabricate cm-scaled hybrid BioRobots based on the combination of hydrogels and cells that contract in synchrony upon external stimuli, alike artificial muscles.

The human brain is the most complex thing in the known Universe. New light-based technologies are now being developed to explore and manipulate the brain. Today we can literally “see” our thoughts; we can observe neurons firing in real time; we can see nanoscopic proteins dancing inside a synapse while learning. Not only we can “see”, but we can “control” those neurons remotely with flashes of light. Neuroscience is now testing photo-genes to introduce false memories or to erase unwanted ones. Photo-drugs will be soon used to cure neurological diseases, restore vision or manipulate our minds.