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Advanced Microrobots Driven by Acoustic and Magnetic Fields for Biomedical Applications
Tingting Wang1, Zhuo Chen1, Qiang Huang1
1Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robots and Systems, Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Control and Decision of Complex System, and School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
Cyborg and Bionic Systems (Washington, D.C.)
|November 12, 2025
Summary
Hybrid magneto-acoustic microrobots overcome single-actuation limitations for advanced biomedical applications. This review explores their design, applications in drug delivery and surgery, and future potential.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Robotics
- Acoustic and Magnetic Physics
Background:
- Microrobots offer biocompatibility, wireless control, and tissue penetration for biomedical tasks.
- Single magnetic or acoustic actuation methods face limitations like restricted propulsion or poor direction control.
- Hybrid actuation combines magnetic and acoustic fields to enhance microrobot capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the progress of hybrid magneto-acoustic actuation for microrobots.
- To address the limitations inherent in single magnetic or acoustic actuation methods.
- To explore the potential of magneto-acoustic microrobots in various biomedical applications.
Main Methods:
- Review of single magnetic and acoustic actuation principles and limitations.
- Summary of two hybrid magneto-acoustic actuation strategies: magnetic steering/acoustic propulsion and magnetic propulsion/acoustic manipulation.
- Presentation of current applications and future challenges in magneto-acoustic robotics.
Main Results:
- Hybrid magneto-acoustic actuation enhances microrobot performance by overcoming single-field limitations.
- Two primary hybrid configurations (magnetic steering/acoustic propulsion and magnetic propulsion/acoustic manipulation) are detailed.
- Applications in targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, and medical imaging demonstrate significant potential.
Conclusions:
- Magneto-acoustic microrobots present a promising advancement over single-actuation systems.
- Further research and development are needed to overcome current challenges and fully realize their clinical potential.
- Hybrid actuation offers a viable path for designing sophisticated microrobotic systems for biomedical applications.
