Flexible Robot Can Reach Body’s Narrowest Regions for Performing Minimally Invasive Surgeries

They have been likened to walking pine cones due to this distinctive feature. Inspired by the pangolin's physiology, scientists have created a magnetically-guided soft medical robot, which is flexible and freely movable despite comprising rigid metal components. Depending on the magnetic field, the robot can adjust its form, move around, and generate heat when required, thus opening up new applications like selective transportation and release of substances, as well as halting bleeding.

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Stuttgart, Germany) were particularly fascinated by the pangolin's rapid defensive curl. Drawing inspiration from this creature, they've designed a flexible robot, less than two centimeters in length, that combines both soft and hard materials. This robot can instantly transform into a sphere and additionally has the capability to generate heat. It comprises a soft polymer layer studded with tiny magnetic particles and a hard component made of metal elements arranged in overlapping layers. Despite having solid metal components, the robot maintains softness and flexibility suitable for internal human body applications.

When exposed to a low-frequency magnetic field, the robot can be made to curl up and move in any direction, with its metal elements protruding like pangolin scales, without causing any harm to nearby tissues. Once curled, it can transport particles, such as medication, and potentially navigate through the human digestive system. When a high-frequency magnetic field is applied, the robot can heat up beyond 70℃ due to the integrated metal. This ability to generate thermal energy can prove valuable in various medical procedures, including thrombosis treatment, bleeding control, and tumor tissue removal.

Untethered robots composed of rigid elements like metal that can also emit heat are a rarity. Hence, the pangolin-inspired robot holds significant promise for the future of medicine. It could potentially access the narrowest and most sensitive areas of the body in a minimally invasive and gentle manner, providing heat as necessary. Through a video demonstration, the researchers have shown how they can maneuver the robot within animal tissue and artificial organs with remarkable flexibility.

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Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems