Escherichia coli robots that freeze, smell, swell, and time-keep

As an extracurricular activity, 18 students in chemistry major tried to create four Escherichia coli ‘robots’: (1) an imaging system with swimmy bacteria; (2) a switchable aroma generator; (3) a balloon bacteria with a light-triggered inflator; and (4) an E. coli clock. None of the projects were completed, but a number of BioBricks were generated. They include an aroma synthesiser, a motility controller, and a size and shape controller. By assembling and tuning these BioBricks, we will be able to complete our robot manufacture. We belive these BioBricks would expand the toolbox in bacterial robotics.