Magnetically Actuated Soft Microrobot with Environmental Adaptative Multimodal Locomotion Towards Targeted Delivery

The development of environmentally adaptive solutions for magnetically actuated microrobots to enable targeted delivery in complex and confined fluid environments presents a significant challenge. Inspired by the natural locomotion of crucian carp, a barbell-shaped soft microrobot (MBS²M) is proposed. A mechano-electromagnetic hybrid actuation system is developed to generate oscillating magnetic fields to manipulate the microrobot. The MBS²M can seamlessly transition between three fundamental locomotion modes: fast navigation (FN), high-precision navigation (HPN), and fixed-point rotation (FPR). Moreover, the MBS²M can move in reverse without turning. The multimodal locomotion endows the MBS²M's adaptability in diverse environments. It can smoothly pass through confined channels, climb over obstacles, overcome gravity for vertical motion, track complex pathways, traverse viscous environments, overcome low fluid resistance, and navigate complex spaces mimicking in vivo environments. Additionally, the MBS²M is capable of drug loading and release in response to ultrasound excitation. In an ex vivo porcine liver vein, the microrobot demonstrated targeted navigation under ultrasound guidance, showcasing its potential for specialized in vivo tasks.