Organized assemblies of cells have demonstrated promise as bioinspired actuators and devices; still, the fabrication of such "biorobots" has predominantly relied on passive assembly methods that reduce design capabilities. To address this, we have developed a strategy for the rapid formation of functional biorobots composed of live cardiomyocytes. We employ tunable acoustic fields to facilitate the efficient aggregation of millions of cells into high-density macroscopic architectures with directed cell orientation and enhanced cell−cell interaction. These biorobots can perform actuation functions both through naturally occurring contraction−relaxation cycles and through external control with chemical and electrical stimuli. We demonstrate that these biorobots can be used to achieve controlled actuation of a soft skeleton and pumping of microparticles. The biocompatible acoustic assembly strategy described here should prove generally useful for cellular manipulation in the context of tissue engineering, soft robotics, and other applications.

Development of biologically relevant and clinically relevant human cerebral cortex models is demanded by mechanistic studies of human cerebral cortex‐associated neurological diseases and discovery of preclinical neurological drug candidates. Here, rational design of human–sourced brain‐like cortical tissue models is demonstrated by reverse engineering and bionic design. To implement this design, the acoustic assembly technique is employed to assemble hiPSC‐derived neural progenitors and neurons separately in a label‐free and contact‐free manner followed by subsequent neural differentiation and culture. The generated microtissues encapsulate the neuronal microanatomy of human cerebral‐cortex tissue that contains six‐layered neuronal architecture, a 400‐µm interlayer distance, synaptic connections between interlayers, and neuroelectrophysiological transmission. Furthermore, these microtissues are infected with herpes simplex virus type I (HSV‐1) virus, and the HSV‐induced pathogenesis associated with Alzheimer's disease is determined, including neuron loss and the expression of Aβ. Overall, a high‐fidelity human‐relevant in vitro histotypic model is provided for the cerebral cortex, which will facilitate wide applications in probing the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and screening the candidates for neuroprotective agents.

No abstract