Swedish Scientists Create First Ever Plant-Machine Hybrid

2 decades of work have resulted in the world's first "plant-machine hybrid, a cyborg rose. We are talking about "electronic plants" here. When we can successfully create a "circuitry" system within the plant itself, AND install sensors or other devices, we could control many functions of the plant.

They are claiming this will prove to be extremely useful with plant "fuel cells" one day.



From the Gizmodo article:

first, the the researchers introduce a synthetic polymer called PEDOT-S into the rose through its stem. The plant sucks up the polymer using the same vascular system (xylem) that transports water. Once inside xylem channels, the polymer self-assembles into an “wire” that conducts electrical signals, while still allowing water and nutrients to move around. By connecting these wires with naturally-occurring electrolytes in the plant’s tissue, the researchers are able to create an electrochemical transistor, as well as a digital logic gate, a basic component of computer systems.

The researchers also introduced a variant of PEDOT-S into the leaves, where it forms “pixels”; groups of electrochemical cells separated by leaf veins. When a voltage is applied, these pixels change color like a display.

The leaf veins light up different colors depending on the voltage - I'm wondering what other applications this may have. To me it seems to be a similar concept to nanotechnology.

Gizmodo


Another source: UnknownCountry

Researchers in Sweden have created what they are calling an electronic plant, a machine-plant hybrid that has electrically conductive wiring integrated into it's internal structure. The research team sees a wide variety of applications for this development, including plants that can react to environmental changes, or plants that could act as electrical batteries, using photosynthesis as a power source.

This cyborg rose was made by taking an ordinary garden rose, and immersing the clipped stem into a solution of a liquid polymer that was drawn up into the plant's xylem vascular channels, the plant’s naturally-occurring internal fluid transport system. Once inside the channels, the polymer self-assembled into a conductive strand that could act as a wire that an electrical current could be sent through. These wires were then connected to naturally-occurring electrolytes in the plant’s tissue, and through that were able to create simple electrochemical transistors, a logic gate, and other electronic components.

From the study,

For future electronic plant technologies, we identify integrated and distributed delivery and sensor devices as a particularly interesting e-Plant concept for feedback-regulated control of plant physiology, possibly serving as a complement to existing molecular genetic techniques used in plant science and agriculture. Distributed conducting wires and electrodes along the stems and roots and in the leaves are preludes to electrochemical fuel cells, charge transport, and storage systems that convert sugar produced from photosynthesis into electricity, in vivo.

The research paper for this study can be found here:

Paper


From the paper:

Basic plant physiology and analogy to electronics. (A and B) A plant (A), such as a rose, consists of roots, branches, leaves, and flowers similar to (B) electrical circuits with contacts, interconnects, wires, and devices. (C) Cross section of the rose leaf. (D) Vascular system of the rose stem. (E) Chemical structures of PEDOT derivatives used.

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Electronically conducting xylem wires. (A) Forming PEDOT-S:H wires in the xylem. A cut rose is immersed in PEDOT-S:H aqueous solution, and PEDOT-S:H is taken up and self-organizes along the xylem forming conducting wires. The optical micrographs show the wires 1 and 30 mm above the bottom of the stem (bark and phloem were peeled off to reveal the xylem). (B) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of the cross section of a freeze-dried rose stem showing the xylem (1 to 5) filled with PEDOT-S:H. The inset shows the corresponding optical micrograph, where the filled xylem has the distinctive dark blue color of PEDOT. (C) SEM images (with corresponding micrograph on the left) of the xylem of a freeze-dried stem, which shows a hydrogel-like PEDOT-S structure.

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Electrical characterization of xylem wires. (A) Schematic of conductivity measurement using Au probes as contacts. (B) I-V characteristics of PEDOT-S xylem wires of different lengths: L1 = 2.15 mm, L2 = 0.9 mm, and L3 = 0.17 mm. The inset shows resistance versus length/area and linear fit, yielding a conductivity of 0.13 S/cm.

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PEDOT-infused leaves. (A) Vacuum infiltration. Leaf placed in PEDOT

SS–NFC solution in a syringe with air removed. The syringe is pulled up, creating negative pressure and causing the gas inside the spongy mesophyll to be expelled. (B) When the syringe returns to standard pressure, PEDOT

SS–NFC is infused through the stomata, filling the spongy mesophyll between the veins. (C and D) Photograph of the bottom (C) and cross section (D) of a pristine rose leaf before infiltration. (E and F) Photograph of the bottom (E) and cross section (F) of leaf after PEDOT

SS–NFC infusion.

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Leaf OECD. (A) Visualization of the electric field in the leaf-OECD via the induced electrochromic gradient directions [cf. study by Said et al. (30)]. (B) Electrical schematic representation of n-compartments modeling both electronic and ionic components of the current.

a reply to: FamCore

Interestng. I thought they might have invented a carbon sequestration device that turns sunlight to sugar and carbon to wood. More like plant advertising signs or plant ads.

I see where this is gong, they can line the hiway with forest billboards for Coca Cola and Mc Donalds.

I agree with the first poster in the comment section in your linked article, when does this become tattoo-able 😃

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: FamCore

Interestng. I thought they might have invented a carbon sequestration device that turns sunlight to sugar and carbon to wood. More like plant advertising signs or plant ads.

I see where this is gong, they can line the hiway with forest billboards for Coca Cola and Mc Donalds.

What a horrifying premise. I really hope not but I'm sure if there is money to be made, people will try to do it.

Using nature to destroy itself. Even more tragic than humans destroying it on their own

a reply to: FamCore

I suppose if it weren't harmful to the plant they could justify it but using nature to advertise for the society which is destroying it just seems very wrong to me

Yah, not sure about this, but thats because I'm just a layman. I bet I can change a plants color with electrodes, too.

Brwando, it has.. like electrics...

We're one step closer you guys !!! Ow My balls is right round the corner !!

Oo

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: FamCore

I suppose if it weren't harmful to the plant they could justify it but using nature to advertise for the society which is destroying it just seems very wrong to me

Yah, not sure about this, but thats because I'm just a layman. I bet I can change a plants color with electrodes, too.

you can put blue food coloring into a plants water and make them blue.

it's some sort of magick!!

a reply to: laminatedsoul

Thanks for those two posts. Got may ATS fix (logs off chuckling).

a reply to: intrptr

There are applications for this in the sense that the plant's physiology itself can become integrated with electronic systems. Thanks for the mockery but it's not welcome on this thread.

However, here we demonstrate the first example of electronic functionality added to plants and report integrated organic electronic analog and digital circuits manufactured in vivo. The vascular circuitry, components, and signals of R. floribunda plants have been intermixed with those of PEDOT structures.

(from the paper)

a reply to: laminatedsoul

You're not contributing anything relevant to this thread, why don't you conduct your food coloring experiment and make your own thread instead. Thanks

originally posted by: FamCore
a reply to: laminatedsoul

You're not contributing anything relevant to this thread, why don't you conduct your food coloring experiment and make your own thread instead. THANKS

Eat my yellow cabbage.

That I told you they can do it already, dont get pissed off with me.

weak sauce.

-eta fixed your txt speech, which is against the T&C.

a reply to: laminatedsoul

"Thx" is against T & C because it's text speech, and yet you spell text "txt"


pretty sure rude comments are also against the T & C

What a bunch of bollocks this thread is. Torturing that rose (a two week long project, not two decades one) is a signal to the elite. Let the Swedish King sit and torture his roses, we do not care. Bigger picture, more important matters at hand. Tie em up and chop his hand off, they are to be paralyzed and incapable of intervening. Torture your roses Swedes...

and IF you put this in a human?

a reply to: FamCore

In light of the hyperbolic nonsense rampant over this article, I offer forth an honest inquiry:

I am to understand they do not yet have enough of a "lightshow" to show their presented work of the techno-rose in full color changing spectrum? I notice there is little more than an image and a statement of success, but no visual confirmation or even attempt at such. Granted, given todays hyper-CGI fakery, even a video would be suspect with today's rampant "won't pay attention and must push nonsensical agendas" college classroom dichotomy. So obedient to their overly PC masters, and oh, the irony again.


If my memory serves there have been prior insights into the electro-chemical productions and responses of plants....the study that comes to mind immediate was published in the 1970s I believe. Can't recall the name of the study nor the researchers though and for that I apologize.

Basically it was a series of rudimentary sensors were placed on plants to see if they reacted to external stimulus. Researchers recorded plant "responses" to everything from classical music (increased health and growth) to threats of burning the plants with fire (minor panic response). So on an so forth.

Long story short, they HAVE experimented with these premises before, just not in this specific manner and methodology.

When the news hit the public ear, some people even went so far as to swear off eating all plant life because they could not - in good conscience - eat what they perceived to be a sentient life-form. Enter the Breathatarian movement. Long story, don't ask, I might get cynical again.

Sadly I see this thread has garnered a similar negative hyperbolic reaction to this news and revelation.
Luddites on the internet, oh the irony.

Personally, I find it fascinating. Maybe if they can prove conclusively that the roses "don't mind and quite enjoy the sensory influx" everyone will take a collective chill-pill and blow off with their "End of Days NWO Skynet Illuminati Borg Anarcho-Fascist Capitalistic Nightmare" nonsense.

Wonderful article and innovation, nonetheless.
Thank you for bringing this to our attentions.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Thank YOU for your input General Eyes - great insights.

After re-reading this article I realize I was easily sucked into the exaggerations, although I do think this topic will come to the forefront of science in the next few decades and it is important.

What I wonder is if this approach can be used with plants that produce medicinal compounds/nutrients, to encourage rapid production (kind of like how dog breeders have tried to isolate certain characteristics through their breeding, only with an individual organism)

a reply to: FamCore

Roses are one of my favorite flowers...I love them all, but the ability of the singular white rose to be able to produce so many beautiful color variations through various techniques to me is simply sublime.

I have seen all manner of newer "technologies" helping to illuminate the evening strolls, from solar charged luminescent footpaths to all manner of beauties of illumination....a garden that could theoretically absorb solar nutrients during the day and glow and dance colorfully in the evening is just a beautiful thought to consider.

A shame so many only see the future through hypnotically induced misery.
Perhaps they should spend more time reading the natural sciences instead of endless horror fictions, n'est ce-pas?

Thank YOU, again....for this charming and enlightening contribution to ATS.