Shape-programmable Adaptive Multi-material Microrobots for Biomedical Applications

TL;DR

This paper presents the development and analysis of shape-programmable, adaptive multi-material microrobots inspired by microorganisms, combining experiments, modeling, and finite element analysis to enable biomedical applications like targeted delivery.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive approach integrating experiments, modeling, and analysis to design adaptive microrobots with programmable shapes and swimming behaviors for biomedical use.

Findings

Successful demonstration of shape-programmable microrobots

Validated models predicting deformation and swimming behavior

Effective targeted object delivery achieved

Abstract

Flagellated microorganisms can swim at low Reynolds numbers and adapt to changes in their environment. Specifically, the flagella can switch their shapes or modes through gene expression. In the past decade, efforts have been made to fabricate and investigate rigid types of microrobots without any adaptation to the environments. More recently, obtaining adaptive microrobots mimicking real microorganisms is getting more attention. However, even though some adaptive microrobots achieved by hydrogels have emerged, the swimming behaviors of the microrobots before and after the environment-induced deformations are not predicted in a systematic standardized way. In this work, experiments, finite element analysis, and dynamic modeling are presented together to realize a complete understanding of these adaptive microrobots. The above three parts are cross-verified proving the success of using such methods, facilitating the bio-applications with shape-programmable and even swimming performance-programmable microrobots. Moreover, an application of targeted object delivery using the proposed microrobot has been successfully demonstrated. Finally, cytotoxicity tests are performed to prove the potential for using the proposed microrobot for biomedical applications.