Scientists build a robot that is part fungus, part machine

A wheeled bot controlled by a living entity - a king oyster mushroom - has been developed by researchers from Cornell University. By growing the mushroom’s mycelium into the robot’s hardware, the team has created robots that can sense and respond to the environment using electrical signals produced by the fungus and its sensitivity to light. This is a step forward in the field of biohybrid robotics, which combines biological materials with synthetic components. The potential applications of this technology include underwater exploration, medical treatments, and disaster response.