Botgraft

Botgraft is a term used in discussions of biohybrid systems to describe the integration of robotics with grafting processes, including plant grafting and tissue engineering. The word combines bot (short for robot) with graft, the joining of tissues or organisms. There is no single standardized method called botgraft; rather it is an umbrella concept used across disciplines for automated or cybernetic grafting approaches.

In plant science, botgraft can refer to the automation of grafting procedures, where robotic systems perform steps such as cutting, alignment, and joining of plant stems. In biomedical or tissue engineering contexts, the term is sometimes used to describe automated or machine-assisted methods that connect living tissue to synthetic components, effectively a graft managed by a machine or controlled system.

Technologies associated with botgraft include micro-surgical robots, high-precision actuators, real-time imaging or guidance, and biocompatible adhesives or bonding methods. A central challenge is ensuring compatibility and stable integration of the graft, particularly maintaining vascular or nutrient pathways and minimizing tissue damage during the procedure.

Potential applications span increased efficiency and standardization of agricultural grafting, rapid production of plant or tissue grafts, and the development of biohybrid devices that couple living tissue with robotic or electronic components. Ethical, regulatory, and biosafety considerations accompany any work intersecting living systems and automated machinery.

See also: grafting, tissue engineering, biohybrid, robotics in agriculture, cyborg.