Researchers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute engineered a coin-sized microchip that can be loaded with biological cells and made to "breathe", mimicking the workings of an actual lung. The chip has two chambers separated by a flexible membrane, one containing human lung cells, the other capillary blood cells. Because of the chip's flexible design, varying the air pressure within channels along the chip's surface causes it to expand and contract, replicating the mechanics of breathing. This ability to mimic a functioning lung enables the transparent device to be used in monitoring how the cells within the chip react to introduced particles, such as environmental toxins, and could ultimately replace some animal testing.
More importantly, I believe this device could potentially be the first step in the development of the synthetic lungs I'll be needing in order to realize my dream of someday becoming a murderous...I mean... friendly..um.. cyborg... hero.. person...ya.. Just watch the Dr. guy in the video for more info you filthy MEAT-SACKS!
-CAINE-
Links and Additional Content
Posted by Youtube user:wyssintitute
Also check out this story on: Singularity Hub, which was my original source.
Image credit: The Wyss Institute
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