Atmospheric-operable bioactuator powered by insect muscle packaged with medium.

Area of Science:

• Biohybrid Microdevices
• Biomimetics
• MEMS Technology

Background:

• Previous biohybrid microdevices failed to operate in air due to dryness.
• Insect muscle tissue offers potential for microactuation but requires a suitable environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an atmospheric-operable bioactuator (AOB) using insect muscle tissue.
• To enable biohybrid microdevices to function outside of culture media.
• To investigate the mechanisms and limitations of air-based bioactuation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an AOB by encapsulating insect dorsal vessel (DV) tissue with culture medium.
• Utilizing structural simulation and capillary effect for AOB design.
• Testing AOB functionality in air, including deformation of microstructures and lifetime analysis.
• Employing liquid paraffin to mitigate medium evaporation and extend operational life.

Main Results:

• The AOB successfully operated in air, demonstrating micro-tweezer actuation via DV tissue contractions.
• Actuation in air showed enhanced gap reduction compared to in-medium operation due to surface tension.
• The initial AOB lifetime in air was approximately 40 minutes, limited by medium evaporation.
• Encapsulation with liquid paraffin extended the AOB's operational lifetime to over five days.

Conclusions:

• Insect muscle tissue can be effectively utilized as a bioactuator in atmospheric conditions.
• The developed AOB demonstrates significant potential for future biohybrid MEMS devices.
• Strategies to prevent medium evaporation are crucial for long-term operation of air-based bioactuators.