An Intelligent Magneto-Mechanical Platform for Cellular Sensing in 3D Microenvironments

Deciphering cellular proliferation mechanics in unperturbed 3D microenvironments remains challenging, as optical methods induce phototoxicity and fail in opaque matrices, while impedance sensing lacks spatial specificity and 3D compatibility. We introduce MagMI, a pioneering machine intelligence-driven magneto-mechanical sensing platform integrates arrays of magneto-mechanical pillars to passively monitor nanoscale cellular force associated with proliferation in dense 3D cultures. Proliferation-driven pillar deflections modulating magnetic fields are dynamically captured by high-sensitivity Hall sensors. Across each experiment, MagMI acquires and processes over 1 × 10⁶ magneto-mechanical data events, feeding bespoke machine-learning models that serve as intelligent decoders-directly translating complex spatiotemporal magnetic signatures into quantitative maps portraying cellular dynamics without recourse to physical modeling. We validate MagMI by demonstrating its capabilities in: real-time reconstruction and forecasting of proliferation kinetics at the population and single-cell level; distinguishing multiple cell types via unique biomechanical phenotypes; and enabling fully closed-loop experimentation via our integrated MagVizio suite for streaming analysis and automated feedback. MagMI is inherently label-free, phototoxicity-free, and compatible with optically opaque matrices. By delivering the first nanoscale force readout on tens of micrometer pillars, MagMI establishes a transformative approach for intelligent drug screening, systems mechanobiology, and broader investigations of cellular mechanics in physiologically relevant 3D settings.