Current Status and Future Application of Electrically Controlled Micro/nanorobots in Biomedicine

Overview

Journal Front Bioeng Biotechnol

Date 2024 Feb 5

PMID 38314349

Authors

Ruochen Pu

Xiyu Yang

Haoran Mu

Zhonghua Xu

Jin He

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Using micro/nanorobots (MNRs) for targeted therapy within the human body is an emerging research direction in biomedical science. These nanoscale to microscale miniature robots possess specificity and precision that are lacking in most traditional treatment modalities. Currently, research on electrically controlled micro/nanorobots is still in its early stages, with researchers primarily focusing on the fabrication and manipulation of these robots to meet complex clinical demands. This review aims to compare the fabrication, powering, and locomotion of various electrically controlled micro/nanorobots, and explore their advantages, disadvantages, and potential applications.

References

Han J, Zhen J, Nguyen V, Go G, Choi Y, Ko S . Hybrid-Actuating Macrophage-Based Microrobots for Active Cancer Therapy. Sci Rep. 2016; 6:28717. PMC: 4921872. DOI: 10.1038/srep28717. View

Liu Q, Wang W, Reynolds M, Cao M, Miskin M, Arias T . Micrometer-sized electrically programmable shape-memory actuators for low-power microrobotics. Sci Robot. 2021; 6(52). DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abe6663. View

Calvo-Marzal P, Sattayasamitsathit S, Balasubramanian S, Windmiller J, Dao C, Wang J . Propulsion of nanowire diodes. Chem Commun (Camb). 2010; 46(10):1623-4. DOI: 10.1039/b925568k. View

Yoshizumi Y, Honegger T, Berton K, Suzuki H, Peyrade D . Trajectory Control of Self-Propelled Micromotors Using AC Electrokinetics. Small. 2015; 11(42):5630-5. DOI: 10.1002/smll.201501557. View

Li Z, Xie Z, Lu H, Wang Y, Liu Y . Cargo Transportation and Methylene Blue Degradation by Using Fuel-Powered Micromotors. ChemistryOpen. 2021; 10(9):861-866. PMC: 8409089. DOI: 10.1002/open.202100064. View

Katuri J, Seo K, Kim D, Sanchez S . Artificial micro-swimmers in simulated natural environments. Lab Chip. 2016; 16(7):1101-5. DOI: 10.1039/c6lc90022d. View

Alizadeh S, Esmaeili A, Barzegari A, Rafi M, Omidi Y . Bioengineered smart bacterial carriers for combinational targeted therapy of solid tumours. J Drug Target. 2020; 28(7-8):700-713. DOI: 10.1080/1061186X.2020.1737087. View

Gwisai T, Mirkhani N, Christiansen M, Nguyen T, Ling V, Schuerle S . Magnetic torque-driven living microrobots for increased tumor infiltration. Sci Robot. 2022; 7(71):eabo0665. DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abo0665. View

Song X, Fu W, Cheang U . Immunomodulation and delivery of macrophages using nano-smooth drug-loaded magnetic microrobots for dual targeting cancer therapy. iScience. 2022; 25(7):104507. PMC: 9201018. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104507. View

10.

Xu X, Kim K, Fan D . Tunable release of multiplex biochemicals by plasmonically active rotary nanomotors. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2015; 54(8):2525-9. PMC: 4466123. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201410754. View

11.

Gao W, Dong R, Thamphiwatana S, Li J, Gao W, Zhang L . Artificial micromotors in the mouse's stomach: a step toward in vivo use of synthetic motors. ACS Nano. 2014; 9(1):117-23. PMC: 4310033. DOI: 10.1021/nn507097k. View

12.

Fan D, Zhu F, Cammarata R, Chien C . Electric Tweezers. Nano Today. 2023; 6(4):339-354. PMC: 10101233. DOI: 10.1016/j.nantod.2011.05.003. View

13.

Wu D, Baresch D, Cook C, Ma Z, Duan M, Malounda D . Biomolecular actuators for genetically selective acoustic manipulation of cells. Sci Adv. 2023; 9(8):eadd9186. PMC: 9946353. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add9186. View

14.

Lv Y, Bu T, Zhou H, Liu G, Chen Y, Wang Z . An ultraweak mechanical stimuli actuated single electrode triboelectric nanogenerator with high energy conversion efficiency. Nanoscale. 2022; 14(21):7906-7912. DOI: 10.1039/d2nr01530g. View

15.

Kim K, Xu X, Guo J, Fan D . Ultrahigh-speed rotating nanoelectromechanical system devices assembled from nanoscale building blocks. Nat Commun. 2014; 5:3632. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4632. View

16.

Mirvakili S, Hunter I . Multidirectional Artificial Muscles from Nylon. Adv Mater. 2016; 29(4). DOI: 10.1002/adma.201604734. View

17.

Paxton W, Kistler K, Olmeda C, Sen A, St Angelo S, Cao Y . Catalytic nanomotors: autonomous movement of striped nanorods. J Am Chem Soc. 2004; 126(41):13424-31. DOI: 10.1021/ja047697z. View

18.

Wang B, Kostarelos K, Nelson B, Zhang L . Trends in Micro-/Nanorobotics: Materials Development, Actuation, Localization, and System Integration for Biomedical Applications. Adv Mater. 2021; 33(4):e2002047. DOI: 10.1002/adma.202002047. View

19.

Peng X, Chen Z, Kollipara P, Liu Y, Fang J, Lin L . Opto-thermoelectric microswimmers. Light Sci Appl. 2020; 9:141. PMC: 7429954. DOI: 10.1038/s41377-020-00378-5. View

20.

Wang W, Chiang T, Velegol D, Mallouk T . Understanding the efficiency of autonomous nano- and microscale motors. J Am Chem Soc. 2013; 135(28):10557-65. DOI: 10.1021/ja405135f. View