Bioengineering in Motion

See videos of bioengineered systems in action in this online extra that accompanies the feature article, "Life Sciences, Applied."

This online extra accompanies "Life Sciences, Applied," from the January-February 2009 issue of Harvard Magazine.

 

In this video, blood pulses through tiny channels in a polymer. The lab group directed by Homans professor of surgery Joseph Vacanti uses a microfabrication technique to mimic blood vessels for use in tissue engineering.

 

 

 

A tissue-engineering application developed in the lab of associate professor of biomedical engineering Kit Parker, demonstrated in this video, uses an elastic film coated with a layer of heart muscle cells; these hybrid structures can engage in lifelike movements.


 

 

This video from the lab of assistant professor of computer science Radhika Nagpal demonstrates three ways to use modular robots programmed to work together cooperatively: a table made from a series of robots that work together to keep it level; a simulation of a bridge that would keep itself level even if the ground under it shifts; and a proposed design for a system to render complex three-dimensional shapes using thousands of modules working cooperatively.

 

Related topics

You might also like

How AI Is Reshaping Supply Chains

Harvard Kennedy School lecturer on using AI to strengthen supply chains

This Astronomer is Sounding a Warning on ‘Space Junk’

As debris accumulates in low Earth orbit, the danger of destructive collisions continues to rise.

Understanding AI Vulnerabilities

As artificial intelligence capabilities evolve, so too will the tactics used to exploit them. 

Most popular

Harvard Faculty Approve a Cap on A Grades

Reforms to reduce grade inflation will take effect in the fall of 2027.

Harvard Alumni and Faculty Win Six Pulitzer Prizes

Winners include Jill Lepore, Bess Wohl, Pablo Torre, and Hannah Natanson.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Portrait of a man with white hair, wearing a black coat, arms crossed, thoughtful expression.

The Framer Who Refused to Sign the Constitution

Harvard’s Elbridge Gerry helped draft the U.S. Constitution, but worried it might create a new monarch.

A woman in glasses gestures while speaking to two attentive listeners at a table.

How to Cook with Wild Plants

From wild greens spanakopita to rose petal panna cotta, forager and chef Ellen Zachos makes one-of-a-kind meals.

Katie Benzan stands on a basketball court holding a ball, with a hoop in the background.

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.