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

## TL;DR

MagMI is a new platform that uses magnetic sensors and machine learning to study cell growth in 3D environments without harmful light.

## Contribution

MagMI introduces a novel magneto-mechanical platform with machine learning for label-free, real-time 3D cellular force monitoring.

## Key findings

- MagMI enables real-time reconstruction and forecasting of cell proliferation dynamics at both population and single-cell levels.
- MagMI distinguishes cell types based on unique biomechanical phenotypes using magneto-mechanical data.
- MagMI supports closed-loop experimentation with integrated tools for analysis and automated feedback.

## Abstract

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.

This study presents MagMI, a pioneering machine intelligence‐driven magneto‐mechanical sensing platform. It utilizes magneto‐mechanical arrays and machine learning to achieve label‐free, real‐time monitoring and classification of cellular proliferation dynamics within 3D microenvironments. MagMI establishes a transformative approach for intelligent drug screening, systems mechanobiology, and broader investigations of cellular mechanics in physiologically relevant 3D settings.