Tiny, soft robot with multi-legs paves the way for drug delivery in the human body
Prof. WANG Zuankai (MNE), Dr. SHEN Yajing (BME), PhD students LU Haojian and YANG Yuanyuan (BME), research associate Dr. ZHANG Mei (MNE), and their collaborators have developed a novel tiny, soft robot with caterpillar-like legs capable of carrying heavy loads and adaptable to adverse environments. The mini delivery-robot could pave the way for medical technology advances, such as drug delivery in the human body. The highly agile milli-robot is able to leap over 10 times its leg length. Thanks to its multi-leg design, which helps reduce friction significantly, the robot can move efficiently inside surfaces in the body lined with, or entirely immersed in, body fluids, such as blood or mucus. Laboratory tests show that it can carry a load 100 times its own weight, which is comparable to a human easily lifting a 26-seat minibus. The aim of the research team in the next two to three years is to create a biodegradable robot that will decompose naturally after completing its drug delivery mission.
The research findings have been published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Nature Communications in a paper titled “A Bio-inspired Multilegged Soft Millirobot that Functions in Both Dry and Wet Conditions”.
Selected press coverage:
(26 Sep 2018) Tiny soft robot with multilegs paves way for drugs delivery in human body [ScienceDaily]
(2 Oct 2018) 城大研發微型軟體機械人 體內送藥新機遇 [Sing Pao]
(2 Oct 2018) 城大製「微軟機械蟲」助體內運藥 [Wen Wei Po]
(2 Oct 2018) 城大研發機械人 助體內運藥 [Sky Post]
(2 Oct 2018) 城大研微型多足機械人 可游走人體送藥 [Oriental Daily News]
(2 Oct 2018) 城大製「毛蟲」機械人 研人體內傳送藥物 [Metro Daily]
(4 Oct 2018) 仿生多足機器人 宛如坦克車運送藥物至目的地 [Global Bio & Investment]
(4 Oct 2018) TINY ROBOT-A WORM TRAVELS THROUGH THE BODY, DELIVERING MEDICATION [stopru.com]
(23 Oct 2018) Tiny Soft Robots Make Drug Delivery Efficient [Machine Design]
(31 Oct 2018) Tiny, Creepy-Crawly Robot Delivers Drugs Inside the Body [Design News]