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An Additive Manufacturing Technique for the Facile and Rapid Fabrication of Hydrogel-based Micromachines with Magnetically Responsive Components
Published on: July 18, 2018
Hydrogel-Based Micro/Nanorobots for Advanced Biomedical Applications
Gyunhee Cho1, Jongkuk Ko2, Yunwoo Lee1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Soongsil University, 369 Sangdo-ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea.
Gels (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Hydrogel-based micro/nanorobots offer precise, minimally invasive biomedical applications. This review explores their design, propulsion, and challenges for clinical translation in areas like drug delivery and cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Robotics
Background:
- Micro/nanorobotics leverages precision and minimal invasiveness for advanced biomedical applications.
- Unique physical constraints at the micro/nanoscale require specialized design, materials, and actuation strategies.
- Hydrogels present significant advantages but also limitations in micro/nanorobot development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent trends in micro/nanorobot development, focusing on hydrogel-based systems.
- To comparatively analyze various propulsion strategies (magnetic, chemical, acoustic, optical, biohybrid) for micro/nanorobots.
- To discuss applications, challenges, and future directions for clinical translation of micro/nanorobotic technologies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of current literature on micro/nanorobot design, materials, and actuation.
- Comparative analysis of different propulsion mechanisms and their associated material requirements and biocompatibility.
- Discussion of representative applications in drug delivery, tissue regeneration, and cancer therapy.
Main Results:
- Hydrogels offer unique properties for micro/nanorobot fabrication and functionality.
- Various propulsion strategies exhibit distinct advantages and limitations regarding efficiency and biocompatibility.
- Significant progress has been made in applying micro/nanorobots to targeted therapies and regenerative medicine.
Conclusions:
- Hydrogel properties, actuation physics, and fabrication methods are critical for developing effective micro/nanorobots.
- Overcoming challenges in material limitations, actuation efficiency, biocompatibility, and scalability is essential for clinical translation.
- Further research is needed to realize the full potential of adaptive, biocompatible micro/nanorobotic systems in healthcare.
