Preface
These proceedings contain the papers presented at the 9th International Conference on
Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems (Living Machines 2020), held online during July
28–30, 2020. The international conferences in the Living Machines series are targeted
at the intersection of research on novel life-like technologies inspired by the scientific
investigation of biological systems, biomimetics, and research that seeks to interface
biological and artificial systems to create biohybrid systems. The conference aim is to
highlight the most exciting international research in both of these fields united by the
theme of “Living Machines.”
The Living Machines conference series was first organized by the Convergent
Science Network (CSN) of biomimetic and biohybrid systems to provide a focal point
for the gathering of world-leading researchers and the presentation and discussion of
cutting-edge research in this rapidly emerging field. The modern definition of
biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of
principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured
biomimetic artifact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest.
Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant, and efficient solutions to
unsolved challenges in science and engineering. Biohybrid systems are formed by
combining at least one biological component – an existing living system – and at least
one artificial, newly engineered component. Through passing information in one or
both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity.
The abiding desire to imitate the functionality of living organisms dates back
hundreds of years. Early examples of biomimetic artifacts can be found as early as
400BC, by Archytas, an ancient Greek philosopher. He was the creator of “the first
autonomous volatile machine of antiquity,” namely the Flying Pigeon. This device was
one of the first studies on how birds fly. Its structure resembled that of a bird with a
pointed front, similar to a bird’s beak, and its aerodynamic shape and mechanisms
allowed the Pigeon to fly for approximately 200 meters. Centuries later, around the
European Renaissance, we observe endeavors that explore the reproduction of aspects
of living organisms in machines, while revealing important information regarding their
nature. Leonardo da Vinci is a great example of linking human kinesiology and
anatomy with his “Knight” in 1495, while his study of birds resulted in numerous
sketches of various flying machines.
What initially started as a philosophical idea turned into a mechanical revolution.
Already during the 18th century, machines not only imitated the external appearance of
an organism but also simulated its functionalities of behaviors. A way to appreciate the
early simulation of living beings is the central idea of “moving anatomy” in the
creations of Jacques de Vaucanson (1709–1782), a French inventor and artist. His
mechanical artifacts (like the “Flute Player” or the “Digesting Duck”) intended to
approximate the anatomical, physiological, and behavioral characteristics of their
These proceedings contain the papers presented at the 9th International Conference on
Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems (Living Machines 2020), held online during July
28–30, 2020. The international conferences in the Living Machines series are targeted
at the intersection of research on novel life-like technologies inspired by the scientific
investigation of biological systems, biomimetics, and research that seeks to interface
biological and artificial systems to create biohybrid systems. The conference aim is to
highlight the most exciting international research in both of these fields united by the
theme of “Living Machines.”
The Living Machines conference series was first organized by the Convergent
Science Network (CSN) of biomimetic and biohybrid systems to provide a focal point
for the gathering of world-leading researchers and the presentation and discussion of
cutting-edge research in this rapidly emerging field. The modern definition of
biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of
principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured
biomimetic artifact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest.
Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant, and efficient solutions to
unsolved challenges in science and engineering. Biohybrid systems are formed by
combining at least one biological component – an existing living system – and at least
one artificial, newly engineered component. Through passing information in one or
both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity.
The abiding desire to imitate the functionality of living organisms dates back
hundreds of years. Early examples of biomimetic artifacts can be found as early as
400BC, by Archytas, an ancient Greek philosopher. He was the creator of “the first
autonomous volatile machine of antiquity,” namely the Flying Pigeon. This device was
one of the first studies on how birds fly. Its structure resembled that of a bird with a
pointed front, similar to a bird’s beak, and its aerodynamic shape and mechanisms
allowed the Pigeon to fly for approximately 200 meters. Centuries later, around the
European Renaissance, we observe endeavors that explore the reproduction of aspects
of living organisms in machines, while revealing important information regarding their
nature. Leonardo da Vinci is a great example of linking human kinesiology and
anatomy with his “Knight” in 1495, while his study of birds resulted in numerous
sketches of various flying machines.
What initially started as a philosophical idea turned into a mechanical revolution.
Already during the 18th century, machines not only imitated the external appearance of
an organism but also simulated its functionalities of behaviors. A way to appreciate the
early simulation of living beings is the central idea of “moving anatomy” in the
creations of Jacques de Vaucanson (1709–1782), a French inventor and artist. His
mechanical artifacts (like the “Flute Player” or the “Digesting Duck”) intended to
approximate the anatomical, physiological, and behavioral characteristics of their