American researchers have created robots that are five times thinner than a human hair and move under the influence of sound. They are able to move around the body to deliver targeted medication.
You will also be interested
[EN VIDÉO] Is medicine catching up with science fiction? Some recent developments in medicine may be reminiscent of what we can read or see…
Many medical researchers are trying to make robots so small that, like in the series Once Upon a Time… Life, they can move in the human body and deliver drugs there in a targeted manner. In a paper published in the journal Small, researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder have succeeded in creating micro-robots that can transport drugs and evolve using sound.
These microscopic robots are just 20 microns wide and can move at speeds of 3 millimeters per second. They are made from biocompatible polymers using a 3D printing system and consist of three blades and a central air pocket. Under the action of an acoustic field, for example ultrasound, the bubble vibrates and propels the robot forward.
On the way to biodegradable microrobots
The researchers introduced swarms of thousands of microrobots into mice. They placed dexamethasone, a steroid anti-inflammatory drug, in the bladder at the center of the microrobots, which was then transported into the bladder. The microrobots stuck to the walls of the bubble and then released their charge over a two-day period.
A micro-robot is printed and then moves under the action of an acoustic field. It moves in circles because one of the blades is shorter than the others. © University of Colorado Boulder
According to the researchers, this would allow drugs to be administered in a more targeted manner and over a longer period of time, which would lead to better patient outcomes. “If we can get these particles to act in the bladder,” Lee said, “then we can achieve a more sustained release of the drug, and patients may not need to come to the clinic as often.” The next step will consist of making the microbots biodegradable, allowing them to dissolve in the body.