Recently, researchers at MIT have developed a small, soft 3D-printed robot that can be manipulated by magnetic fields, which is expected to be applied in the field of biomedicine.
A study published in the latest issue of Nature shows that this "robot" is actually a 3D-printed structure resembling a snowflake, with a maximum diameter of about 4 centimeters when fully extended. Under the manipulation of a magnetic field, it can crawl, roll, and jump; it can quickly contract to catch a rolling ball; and it can even wrap around a pill and move across a table.
A team led by Professor Xuanhe Zhao of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT used 3D printing ink containing magnetic particles and installed electromagnets on the nozzles of the 3D printer to control the direction of the magnetic particles during the printing process, creating a structure that can undergo precise deformation immediately under the manipulation of an external magnetic field.
According to reports, this magnetically controlled "robot" does not require high voltage like some electrically driven robots, and it deforms faster than soft robots made of materials such as hydrogels.
The research team said that this technology can also be used to create "robots" with different shapes and functions, such as ring structures embedded in circuits and red and green LED lights. Under the influence of an external magnetic field, the ring can deform to light up a red or green light.
Zhao Xuanhe said that this invention is expected to be widely used in the biomedical field. For example, a small "robot" can be placed near blood vessels to control blood flow; or it can be used to guide the necessary equipment into the gastrointestinal tract to take pictures, obtain tissue samples, clear blockages, or precisely administer drugs.
