Muscle Tissue Engineering
Hugh Herr, PhD spoke on the future technology of muscle tissue engineering. His area of specialization is in "actin-myosin machines": muscle-driven micro robots that feed on glucose. Current research is focused on marine invertebrates due to their simple circulatory system. Lab tests have shown that cultured muscle tissue from these simple animals, floating in a glucose-water solution, reacts to stimuli in a manner similar to human muscle tissue except with a weaker contraction. Dr. Herr speculated that genetic engineering might be needed to increase the strength characteristics of such biological machines.
His first actin-myosin robot will be a 3-centimeter fish with an articulated tail. It will swim around continuously in a sugar-water environment that provides both nutrition and buoyancy. Later, larger fish will be constructed as this actuator technology develops further.
Dr. Herr is also a bilateral transtibial amputee, so he is acutely aware of the limitations of current prosthetic technology. A book about his experiences as a new amputee titled Second Ascent: The Story of Hugh Herr has been written by mountain climber-author Alison Osius [ISBN 0-8117-1794-1].