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Bozuyuk U, Wrede P, Yildiz E, Sitti M. Roadmap for Clinical Translation of Mobile Microrobotics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2311462. [PMID: 38380776 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202311462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Medical microrobotics is an emerging field to revolutionize clinical applications in diagnostics and therapeutics of various diseases. On the other hand, the mobile microrobotics field has important obstacles to pass before clinical translation. This article focuses on these challenges and provides a roadmap of medical microrobots to enable their clinical use. From the concept of a "magic bullet" to the physicochemical interactions of microrobots in complex biological environments in medical applications, there are several translational steps to consider. Clinical translation of mobile microrobots is only possible with a close collaboration between clinical experts and microrobotics researchers to address the technical challenges in microfabrication, safety, and imaging. The clinical application potential can be materialized by designing microrobots that can solve the current main challenges, such as actuation limitations, material stability, and imaging constraints. The strengths and weaknesses of the current progress in the microrobotics field are discussed and a roadmap for their clinical applications in the near future is outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ugur Bozuyuk
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Paul Wrede
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Erdost Yildiz
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koc University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
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Chen Y, Guo Y, Xie B, Jin F, Ma L, Zhang H, Li Y, Chen X, Hou M, Gao J, Liu H, Lu YJ, Wong CP, Zhao N. Lightweight and drift-free magnetically actuated millirobots via asymmetric laser-induced graphene. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4334. [PMID: 38773174 PMCID: PMC11109242 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48751-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Millirobots must have low cost, efficient locomotion, and the ability to track target trajectories precisely if they are to be widely deployed. With current materials and fabrication methods, achieving all of these features in one millirobot remains difficult. We develop a series of graphene-based helical millirobots by introducing asymmetric light pattern distortion to a laser-induced polymer-to-graphene conversion process; this distortion resulted in the spontaneous twisting and peeling off of graphene sheets from the polymer substrate. The lightweight nature of graphene in combine with the laser-induced porous microstructure provides a millirobot scaffold with a low density and high surface hydrophobicity. Magnetically driven nickel-coated graphene-based helical millirobots with rapid locomotion, excellent trajectory tracking, and precise drug delivery ability were fabricated from the scaffold. Importantly, such high-performance millirobots are fabricated at a speed of 77 scaffolds per second, demonstrating their potential in high-throughput and large-scale production. By using drug delivery for gastric cancer treatment as an example, we demonstrate the advantages of the graphene-based helical millirobots in terms of their long-distance locomotion and drug transport in a physiological environment. This study demonstrates the potential of the graphene-based helical millirobots to meet performance, versatility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness requirements simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Yuanhui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Bin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Fujun Jin
- Institute of Natural Medicine and Green Chemistry, School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Li Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Yihao Li
- Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Maoxiang Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Jian Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Huilong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Electronic Manufacturing Technology and Equipment, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Yu-Jing Lu
- Institute of Natural Medicine and Green Chemistry, School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Ching-Ping Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Ni Zhao
- Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
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Bo Y, Wang H, Niu H, He X, Xue Q, Li Z, Yang H, Niu F. Advancements in materials, manufacturing, propulsion and localization: propelling soft robotics for medical applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 11:1327441. [PMID: 38260727 PMCID: PMC10800571 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1327441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Soft robotics is an emerging field showing immense potential for biomedical applications. This review summarizes recent advancements in soft robotics for in vitro and in vivo medical contexts. Their inherent flexibility, adaptability, and biocompatibility enable diverse capabilities from surgical assistance to minimally invasive diagnosis and therapy. Intelligent stimuli-responsive materials and bioinspired designs are enhancing functionality while improving biocompatibility. Additive manufacturing techniques facilitate rapid prototyping and customization. Untethered chemical, biological, and wireless propulsion methods are overcoming previous constraints to access new sites. Meanwhile, advances in tracking modalities like computed tomography, fluorescence and ultrasound imaging enable precision localization and control enable in vivo applications. While still maturing, soft robotics promises more intelligent, less invasive technologies to improve patient care. Continuing research into biocompatibility, power supplies, biomimetics, and seamless localization will help translate soft robots into widespread clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunwen Bo
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Haochen Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Hui Niu
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xinyang He
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Quhao Xue
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Zexi Li
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Robotics and Microsystems Center, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Fuzhou Niu
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
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Tao Y, Lin L, Ren X, Wang X, Cao X, Gu H, Ye Y, Ren Y, Zhang Z. Four-Dimensional Micro/Nanorobots via Laser Photochemical Synthesis towards the Molecular Scale. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:1656. [PMID: 37763819 PMCID: PMC10537291 DOI: 10.3390/mi14091656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Miniaturized four-dimensional (4D) micro/nanorobots denote a forerunning technique associated with interdisciplinary applications, such as in embeddable labs-on-chip, metamaterials, tissue engineering, cell manipulation, and tiny robotics. With emerging smart interactive materials, static micro/nanoscale architectures have upgraded to the fourth dimension, evincing time-dependent shape/property mutation. Molecular-level 4D robotics promises complex sensing, self-adaption, transformation, and responsiveness to stimuli for highly valued functionalities. To precisely control 4D behaviors, current-laser-induced photochemical additive manufacturing, such as digital light projection, stereolithography, and two-photon polymerization, is pursuing high-freeform shape-reconfigurable capacities and high-resolution spatiotemporal programming strategies, which challenge multi-field sciences while offering new opportunities. Herein, this review summarizes the recent development of micro/nano 4D laser photochemical manufacturing, incorporating active materials and shape-programming strategies to provide an envisioning of these miniaturized 4D micro/nanorobots. A comparison with other chemical/physical fabricated micro/nanorobots further explains the advantages and potential usage of laser-synthesized micro/nanorobots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufeng Tao
- Institute of Micro-Nano Optoelectronics and Terahertz Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Postdoctoral Workstation, Zhejiang Chuangge Technology Co., Ltd., Zhuji 311899, China
| | - Liansheng Lin
- Institute of Micro-Nano Optoelectronics and Terahertz Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Xudong Ren
- Institute of Micro-Nano Optoelectronics and Terahertz Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Xuejiao Wang
- Institute of Micro-Nano Optoelectronics and Terahertz Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Xia Cao
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Heng Gu
- Institute of Micro-Nano Optoelectronics and Terahertz Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Yunxia Ye
- Institute of Micro-Nano Optoelectronics and Terahertz Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Yunpeng Ren
- Institute of Micro-Nano Optoelectronics and Terahertz Technology, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- Postdoctoral Workstation, Zhejiang Chuangge Technology Co., Ltd., Zhuji 311899, China
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