Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2025
08:50
High-Speed Magnetic Tweezers for Nanomechanical Measurements on Force-Sensitive Elements
Published on: May 12, 2023
2.1K
Untethered Microgrippers for Precision Medicine.
Huaijuan Zhou1, Shengchang Zhang2, Zijian Liu2
1Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|November 9, 2023
Summary
Untethered microgrippers are tiny robots revolutionizing medicine. This review details their design, control, and applications in precise diagnosis and minimally invasive treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Micro/Nanorobotics
Background:
- Untethered microgrippers are motile miniaturized machines (micrometer-scale).
- They offer advantages over tethered devices for accessing difficult anatomical regions.
- Their potential spans cell manipulation, targeted drug delivery, biopsy, and minimally invasive surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the latest advancements in untethered micrometer-scale grippers.
- To discuss design principles, fabrication techniques, and working mechanisms.
- To highlight applications in precise medicine and future perspectives.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on untethered microgrippers.
- Introduction to shape-morphing and actuation mechanisms.
- Discussion of design, fabrication, and application strategies.
Main Results:
- Numerous medical microgrippers have been developed with explored applications.
- Key design considerations include materials, size, microarchitecture, and morphology.
- Shape-morphing and actuation methods are crucial for controlled locomotion.
Conclusions:
- Untethered microgrippers are vital for precise medical tasks due to their unique characteristics.
- Continued development in design and fabrication will enhance their role in precise medicine.
- Future research will focus on advancing their capabilities for complex medical interventions.
