Mushroom learns to crawl after being given robot body

A mushroom-powered robot slowly creeps across a laboratory floor, its fungal brain responding to ultraviolet light. This unusual creation, developed by engineers at Cornell and Florence universities, marks a significant step in the field of biohybrid robotics.

The machine uses electrical signals from king trumpet mushrooms to navigate and sense its surroundings. Anand Mishra, a research associate at Cornell, explains the advantage: "Living systems respond to touch, they respond to light, they respond to heat, they respond to even some unknowns, like signals."

This fungal-robotic fusion could have practical applications in agriculture. Rob Shepherd, a Cornell professor, suggests these robots might "sense soil chemistry in row crops and decide when to add more fertiliser."

The mushroom's resilience in harsh conditions makes it an ideal candidate for this technology. As researchers continue to explore the intersection of biology and robotics, these fungi-controlled machines may soon be sprouting up in fields far beyond the lab.