Bio-Hybrid Systems for Ecosystem Level Effects

Abstract

In a time marked by ecological decay and by the perspective of a severe backlash of this ecosystem decay and climate devastation onto human society, bold moves that employ novel technology to counteract this decline are required. We present a novel concept of employing Artificial Life technology, in the form of cybernetically enhanced bio-hybrid superorganisms as a countermeasure and as a contingency plan. We describe our general conceptual paradigm, consisting of three interacting action plans, namely: (1) Organismic Augmentation; (2) Bio-Hybrid Socialization and (3) Ecosystem Hacking, which together compose a method to create a novel agent for ecosystem stabilization. We demonstrate, through early results from the research project HIVEOPOLIS, a specific way how classic Artificial Life technologies can create such a living, ecologically active and technologically-augmented superorganism that operates outside in the field. These technologies range from cellular automata and biomimetic robots to novel and sustainable biocompatible materials. Aiming at having a real-world impact on the society that relies on our biosphere is an important aspect in Artificial Life research and is fundamental to our methodology to create a physically embodied and useful form of Artificial Life.

A Minimally Invasive Approach Towards “Ecosystem Hacking” With Honeybees

“…The research project RoboRoyale works towards augmenting superorganisms with supportive technology in a novel way, by concentrating on the honeybee queen. This is different from the methods employed in the research project Hiveopolis ( Ilgün et al, 2021 ) and ASSISIbf ( Schmickl et al, 2013a , b ) where worker bees are the target animals. Another, yet very different, take on organismic augmentation is made by the project Robocoenosis ( Rajewicz et al, 2021 ) by starting with the technology first and then integrating living organisms into this technology, this way replacing robotic components like sensors or actuators step by step.…”

“…1) The technological components can be added to the environment, forming a sensor-actuator-array, in which static technological nodes can sense and affect the animals, while the technological nodes can also communicate with each other and, for example, self-organize spatially this way. This was demonstrated in the research projects ASSISIbf ( Schmickl et al, 2013a , b ) with a so-called “CASU” array ( Griparić et al, 2017 ) and in the research project Hiveopolis with an augmented honeycomb ( Ilgün et al, 2021 ; Stefanec et al, 2021 ) as well as in the research project Flora Robotica ( Hofstadler et al, 2017 ; Wahby et al, 2018 ) with a group of growing plants.…”

“…The approach to incorporate supportive technology into social insect colonies, or into other animal societies, is called “Organismic Augmentation” ( Schmickl et al, 2021 ; Ilgün et al, 2021 ). The research project RoboRoyale works towards augmenting superorganisms with supportive technology in a novel way, by concentrating on the honeybee queen.…”

“…In some sense, this experiment hinted how ecological linkages could be artificially created and showed that it is possible for two groups of organisms very distant from each other (spatially, developmentally, temporally, and on a size scale) to jointly make self-organized collective decisions, a process that can be interpreted as the first artificially created ecological interaction ( Bonnet et al, 2019 ). We call this paradigm of ecosystem stabilization “Ecosystem Hacking” (EH) ( Ilgün et al, 2021 ; Schmickl et al, 2021 ). The social integration of robots into animal societies is a form of “Organismic Augmentation” (OA), as it augments an existing animal superorganism with new capabilities, e.g.…”

Mycelial Beehives of HIVEOPOLIS: Designing and Building Therapeutic Inner Nest Environments for Honeybees

“…It is an intriguing challenge to develop a fungal bioproduction process and ensure its healthy maintenance as an integral part of another complex entity: the technologically enhanced beehive of HIVEOPOLIS [ 66 ]. According to the HIVEOPOLIS design brief, the fungal materiality and scaffold morphologies should synergistically support a variety of physical, mechanical, and chemical properties.…”