Nope, you need actual life fruit. 10 actually, which takes a level 7 gardening skill. The option to build the simbot will come up as opportunities from the science facility. They will start telling you to bring in the different things it needs (I don't remember what order they will ask), 100 pieces of scrap, 10 life fruit, the palladium, and the heart shaped pink diamond. After you bring all those, you will get a 'life source' and will then be able to build simbots.