MR. Cell

MR. Cell, a half-real and half-virtual life form, is composed of two parts, the real part in E.coli and the virtual part in computer. These two parts interact with each other through our interface hardware and will be coupled to a unified whole, mixed-reality state.

real part

A genetic oscillator, as a representative life activity form, was constructed in E.coli as the real part. Besides a light control system associated with the oscillator is adopted to connect the real part in computer, and we can regulate the oscillator by light through computer.

Virtual part

Mixed reality states occur only when a virtual and a real system are sufficiently similar. Therefore, based on the mechanism of the genetic oscillator, we simulate an e-oscillator in a computer as the virtual counterpart. In addition, the state of e-oscillator could be modulated through the parameter adjustment.

The synchronous interreality system—MR.Cell

At the beginning, the two oscillators, bio-oscillator and e-oscillator, work independently in a dual-reality state. When connected by the interface devices, the two parts begin to interact with each other. The state of bio-oscillator in E.coli cultured in a microfluidic chip would be observed through a fluorescence microscope and transmitted to the computer. The computer would analyze and process the received fluorescent data and adjust the state of e-oscillator through parameter modifications. In the meanwhile, based on its own state, the e-oscillator in computer also could regulate the state of bio-oscillator through LED intensity. The LED is controlled by a single-chip, which is linked to the computer. Following the processing cycle, the two parts interact with each other and couple eventually.

Besides, in consideration of the complexity and difficulty of the system, we take three stages to achieve our final goal, MR.Cell. At the first stage, we simulate two e-oscillators, which are of similar characters but have different initial states. And they couple gradually. Next stage, LED lamp replaces the genetic oscillator in E.coli to interact and couple with the e-oscillator. The last stage, our ultimate ambition, is to complete the MR. Cell, the two part of which synchronize and couple strongly.