Under the direction of Professor Hamed Shahsavan, a group of researchers from the University of Waterloo has made great strides towards the creation of sophisticated materials for soft medical microrobots. These tiny robots, which have a length of up to one centimetre, have the potential to revolutionise the medical industry by providing minimally invasive capabilities for operations like biopsies and the movement of cells and tissues inside the human body. The construction of these small robots is what makes them so amazing; they are made of sophisticated hydrogel composites that contain plant-based, sustainable cellulose nanoparticles.

Hydrogel Composites Derived from Plants and Their Self-Healing Properties

These microrobots are based on the creative application of hydrogels. 

The hydrogel alters its shape in response to particular chemical stimuli. This characteristic can be used by researchers to precisely programme form changes, which is essential to these soft robots' operation. The hydrogel substance also has an interesting self-healing property. Because of this feature, researchers can cut and reconnect the material without using adhesives or glue, which makes it possible to customise robot designs to fit various medical procedures.

Controlling Magnetic Field for Navigation

These robots' sophisticated smart material can be further altered using magnets. This capacity to be magnetic is essential for directing and controlling these soft robots inside the human body. In order to illustrate this, scientists used a magnetic field to successfully guide a small robot through a maze. 

During medical treatments, this feature provides the microrobots with precise control and navigation.

In addition to demonstrating the potential for ground-breaking developments in the field, this groundbreaking study in soft medical microrobotics also emphasises the multidisciplinary character of the research, pulling from multiple disciplines like chemical engineering, soft matter science, and biochemistry. The group wants to take these robots further smaller, to submillimeter sizes, as the next stage of their study, which will allow for even more tiny medical uses.