Intelligent Soft Opto-Magnetic Robot for Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy

Minimally invasive interventions (MII) have transformed surgical practice by reducing patient trauma, speeding recovery, and improving patient outcomes. However, their effectiveness remains constrained by the lack of tactile feedback in confined spaces, reliance on manual dexterity, and dependence on radiation-based imaging. Remotely controlled miniature soft robots that integrate tactile sensing, real-time monitoring, and therapeutic delivery offer a promising route to overcome these barriers, but achieving such multifunctionality within a single device has yet to be realized. Here, we introduce an intelligent soft opto-magnetic (iSOM) robot that integrates magnetic actuation, skin-mimic tactile sensing, and photothermal ablation in a millimeter-scale design. The robot comprises a compliant polymer sheath configured with optical pathways for sensing and therapeutic light delivery, a magnetically steerable body for controlled navigation, and a tissue-conforming tip designed to provide tactile feedback and localized photothermal therapy. Driven by magnetic fields and laser excitation, the robot can actively navigate tortuous anatomy to perform targeted ablation therapy, while simultaneously providing real-time feedback on both navigation and treatment to ensure precision and safety. Its capabilities were validated in proof-of-concept demonstrations, including real-time tracked photothermal ablation in porcine tissue, targeted cardiac ablation in cardiovascular phantoms, and image-guided therapeutic interventions in ex vivo and in vivo anatomical systems, underscoring its translational potential for high-precision MII.