Experts are advocating for regulations to ensure the ethical and responsible advancement of bio-hybrid robotics, an innovative field that merges living cells and tissues with artificial elements.
Experts are advocating for regulations to ensure the ethical and responsible advancement of bio-hybrid robotics, an innovative field that merges living cells and tissues with artificial elements.
A recent article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlights the distinctive ethical challenges posed by this technology and the importance of establishing appropriate governance. The paper is authored by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Southampton and other universities in the US and Spain.
The concept of merging living organisms with synthetic robotic parts may seem futuristic, yet this area of study is progressing swiftly. Bio-hybrid robots utilize living muscles to move, swim, grip, pump, and detect their environment. The integration of sensory cells or insect antennae has enhanced chemical sensing capabilities. Moreover, living neurons have been utilized to control robotic movement.
Dr. Rafael Mestre from the University of Southampton, an expert in emerging technologies and a co-author of the paper, stated, “The challenges associated with regulating bio-hybrid robotics resemble those faced in overseeing biomedical devices, stem cell research, and other groundbreaking technologies. Nonetheless, unlike traditional mechanical or digital technologies, bio-hybrid robots uniquely combine biological and synthetic elements, presenting both unprecedented advantages and potential risks.”
While research related to bio-hybrid robotics has seen continual growth over the past ten years, the authors discovered that among more than 1,500 relevant publications, only five extensively discussed the ethical considerations.
The authors pinpointed three areas of ethical concern related to bio-hybrid robotics: Interactivity—how these robots engage with humans and their environment; Integrability—whether humans might adopt bio-robots, such as robotic organs or limbs; and Moral status.
Through a series of thought experiments, they illustrated how a bio-robot designed for ocean cleanup could disrupt the food web, how a bio-hybrid prosthetic might contribute to social inequalities, and how increasingly advanced bio-hybrid assistants could provoke discussions about consciousness and moral significance.
“Bio-hybrid robots introduce distinct ethical challenges,” stated AnÃbal M. Astobiza, an ethicist from the University of the Basque Country in Spain and co-author of the paper. “The living materials used in their creation, the possibility of sentience, their unique environmental implications, moral standing, and capacity for biological evolution lead to ethical dilemmas that go beyond the issues of either purely artificial or biological technologies.”
This paper marks the initial output of the Biohybrid Futures project, led by Dr. Rafael Mestre in cooperation with the Rebooting Democracy initiative. The Biohybrid Futures project aims to create a framework for responsible research, implementation, and regulation of bio-hybrid robotics.
The paper outlines several essential components for this framework, including risk assessments, considerations of social impacts, and efforts to enhance public knowledge and understanding.
Dr. Matt Ryan, a political scientist from the University of Southampton and co-author of the study, remarked, “Past debates on topics like embryonic stem cells, human cloning, or artificial intelligence illustrate that there is often a lack of consensus on the moral dilemmas posed by emerging technologies.”
“When compared to technologies like embryonic stem cell research or artificial intelligence, bio-hybrid robotics has not garnered significant attention from media, the public, or policymakers, but its implications are equally important. We aim to involve the public in this dialogue to promote a democratic approach to the ethical assessment and development of this technology.”
Besides the necessity for a governance structure, the authors also suggest proactive measures the research community can take immediately to steer their studies in the right direction.
“These recommendations should not be viewed as obligatory, but rather as a chance to share the responsibility, easing the burden on researchers,” explained Dr. Victoria Webster-Wood, a biomechanical engineer from Carnegie Mellon University in the US and co-author of the paper.
“The field of bio-hybrid robotics has branched out in multiple ways. It’s crucial to align our efforts to realize its full potential.”
