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Natural organisms and biological systems provide a rich source of inspiration for the development of bioinspired microrobots. These diminutive automatons, designed to emulate the intricate structures and functions of living entities, extend human capabilities across a spectrum of applications. This review endeavors to amalgamate and elucidate the underpinnings of such bioinspired microrobots design, traversing the interdisciplinary expanse of research. It delineates a spectrum of biomedical applications for bioinspired microrobots, encompassing targeted drug delivery, cellular manipulation, and minimally invasive surgical procedures, among others. Moreover, the current technical challenges and future directions of bioinspired microrobots in the biomedical field are discussed. The objective is to impart a holistic view to the readership, illuminating the significance of bioinspired microrobots in contemporary biomedicine and charting potential trajectories of innovation.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d4nr03633f | DOI Listing |
Small
August 2025
Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China.
Inspired by the remarkable buoyancy and collective adaptability of fire ant rafts, this study presents magnetic composite micro-floaters (MCMs) capable of stable flotation at air-water interfaces-a key advancement for magnetic microrobotic swarms in fluid environments. The system overcomes the intrinsic sinking tendency of high-density NdFeB microparticles through bioinspired surface engineering. MCMS are fabricated via a solvent-exchange phase inversion process, encapsulating NdFeB cores with hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) and engineered surface roughness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSoft Matter
August 2025
Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, Department of Engineering Mechanics, State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, School of Aerospace Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
Active systems frequently exhibit remarkable self-organization phenomena, characterized by transition from disorder to order. Yet, the underlying mechanisms driving the spontaneous emergence and transformation of vortex patterns within these systems remain poorly understood. In this study, we introduce a chiral self-propelled rod (CSPR) model that integrates a self-enhanced mobility mechanism, wherein the propulsion speed of individual particles is positively regulated by the local alignment and density of their neighbors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSmall Sci
April 2025
Institute of Chemical Biology Imperial College London Molecular Sciences Research Hub, 82 Wood Lane London W12 0BZ UK.
Artificial cells serve as promising micro-robotic platforms that replicate cellular features. One ubiquitous characteristic of living cells is compartmentalization of content in distinct and well-defined locations. Herein, a microfluidic strategy to mimic compartmentalization is developed through the production of micron-scale two and three compartment biomimetic microgels, where hydrogel compartment number, composition, size, and shape can be controlled.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrorobots engineered from self-propelling active particles extend the reach of robotic operations to submillimeter dimensions and are becoming increasingly relevant for various tasks, such as manipulation of micro/nanoscale cargo, particularly targeted drug delivery. However, achieving deep-tissue penetration and drug delivery remains a challenge. This work develops a novel biohybrid microrobot consisting of jellyfish-stinging capsules, which act as natural nanoinjectors for efficient penetration and delivery, assembled onto an active Janus particle (JP).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
June 2025
International Institute of Intelligent Nanorobots and Nanosystems & State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, College of Intelligent Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
Microscopic robots exhibit efficient locomotion in liquids by leveraging fluid dynamics and chemical reactions to generate force asymmetry, thereby enabling critical applications in photonics and biomedicine. However, achieving controllable locomotion of such robots on terrestrial surfaces remains challenging because fluctuating adhesion on nonideal surfaces disrupts the necessary asymmetry for propulsion. Here, we present a microscopic robot composed of three-dimensional nanomembranes, which navigate diverse terrestrial surfaces with omnidirectional motion.
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