Thursday, September 2, 2010

Magnetically controlled bacteria move small structures

Found on Makezine.com: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/09/cnc_bacteria_swarm_builds_tiny_pyra.html

From a nanorobotics laboratory (I believe in France); about 5,000 bacteria are directed to move/push around blocks to make a (2D) pyramid. The bacteria respond to magnetic fields, so that is how the scientists move them around. An explanation from IEEE Spectrum:

The bacteria, of a type known as magnetotactic, contain structures called magnetosomes, which function as a compass. In the presence of a magnetic field, the magnetosomes induce a torque on the bacteria, making them swim according to the direction of the field. Place a magnetic field pointing right and the bacteria will move right. Switch the field to point left and the bacteria will follow suit.
View the video here, which I can't get to embed right.

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