Soft medical microrobots made from sustainable plant-based materials
A team of researchers from the University of Waterloo has developed smart materials that will serve as the foundation for the next generation of soft medical microrobots. These tiny robots have the potential to perform minimally invasive medical procedures, such as biopsies and transporting cells and tissues within confined and flooded environments like the human body. Measuring at a maximum length of one centimeter, these bio-compatible and non-toxic robots are composed of advanced hydrogel composites that incorporate sustainable cellulose nanoparticles derived from plants.
Led by Professor Hamed Shahsavan from the Department of Chemical Engineering, the research team took a comprehensive approach to the design, synthesis, fabrication, and manipulation of microrobots. The hydrogel used in their work undergoes shape-changing when exposed to external chemical stimulation. By manipulating cellulose nanoparticles, the researchers were able to program the desired shape-change, which is critical for functional soft robot fabrication.
An exceptional feature of this advanced smart material is its self-healing capability, allowing for the programming of a wide range of robot shapes. The material can be cut and reassembled without the need for glue or adhesives, enabling different shapes for various medical procedures. Furthermore, the material can be magnetized to facilitate the movement of soft robots within the human body. Researchers successfully demonstrated this by navigating a tiny robot through a maze using a magnetic field.
Professor Shahsavan emphasized the significant role that chemical engineers play in advancing medical microrobotics research. Their expertise in heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, reaction engineering, polymers, soft matter science, and biochemical systems uniquely position them to explore innovative avenues in this emerging field.
The next phase of the research will focus on scaling the robots down to submillimeter sizes. The collaborative effort involved researchers from Waterloo, including Professor Tizazu Mekonnen from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Professor Shirley Tang, Associate Dean of Science (Research), and Professor Amirreza Aghakhani from the University of Stuttgart in Germany. The team’s findings were published in Nature Communications last month.
Note:
- Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
- We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
