Highly robust and soft biohybrid mechanoluminescence for optical signaling and illumination

Despite the advantages of biohybrid systems for soft robotics, most systems have short lifetime, require complex fabrication, and only remain functional with careful maintenance. Here, the authors report biohybrid mechanoluminescence in soft elastomer-encapsulated bioluminescent dinoflagellates. Biohybrid is a newly emerging and promising approach to construct soft robotics and soft machines with novel functions, high energy efficiency, great adaptivity and intelligence. Despite many unique advantages of biohybrid systems, it is well known that most biohybrid systems have a relatively short lifetime, require complex fabrication process, and only remain functional with careful maintenance. Herein, we introduce a simple method to create a highly robust and power-free soft biohybrid mechanoluminescence, by encapsulating dinoflagellates, bioluminescent unicellular marine algae, into soft elastomeric chambers. The dinoflagellates retain their intrinsic bioluminescence, which is a near-instantaneous light response to mechanical forces. We demonstrate the robustness of various geometries of biohybrid mechanoluminescent devices, as well as potential applications such as visualizing external mechanical perturbations, deformation-induced illumination, and optical signaling in a dark environment. Our biohybrid mechanoluminescent devices are ultra-sensitive with fast response time and can maintain their light emission capability for weeks without special maintenance.

Automated summary

This study presents a method to achieve biohybrid mechanoluminescence in soft elastomer-encapsulated bioluminescent dinoflagellates. The resulting devices are highly robust and power-free, with potential applications in visualizing mechanical perturbations, deformation-induced illumination, and optical signaling in dark environments.