Advances in Invertebrate Biohybrid Robotics: Leveraging Nature for Locomotion and Sensing in Engineered Systems

Abstract

Biohybrid robotics is a transformative field that integrates biological organisms with artificial systems, aiming to create energy‐efficient, cost‐effective, and environmentally sustainable robotic solutions. This review explores the advancements in biohybrid invertebrate robots, focusing on the use of model organisms such as insects, jellyfish, spiders, and sea slugs as biological components that contribute to robotic locomotion and sensing capabilities. While biohybrid robots have demonstrated improved energy efficiency compared to traditional robotic systems, biohybrid systems often face challenges related to control, reliability, and physical limitations imposed by their biological hosts. The integration of biological organisms into robotic systems enables these robots to perform tasks such as search‐and‐rescue missions, environmental monitoring, and micro‐scale manufacturing, in which their efficiency and low‐cost production can offer distinct advantages. However, their widespread application remains limited by challenges in controllability, power delivery, and reduced operational duration compared to synthetic robotic systems. To enable further advancements in the field, the current state‐of‐the‐art research, challenges, solutions, and future directions for enhancing biohybrid systems are discussed, with an emphasis on improving controllability, sustainability, and developing robust power sources. It is concluded that biohybrid robots have potential in fields in which energy efficiency and adaptability are paramount, leveraging the advantages of biological systems.