Cheng Qilong, Tai Yunhao, Liu Yuteng, Lu Xingqi, Qin Zhihao, Liu Ping, Luo Tingting, Liu Guangli, Sui Cong, Yang Runhuai
School of Biomedical Engineering, 3D-Printing and Tissue Engineering Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
Sensitive Electronics and Sensors Research Group, School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
Small. 2025 Jun 23:e2504289. doi: 10.1002/smll.202504289.
Collective behaviors in microrobots achieve self-assembly and execute complex tasks through swarm microrobot interactions and collaboration, which possess significant potential in biomedical applications. However, challenges such as swarm stability and diversity, and adaptability to complex environments remain to be addressed. In this study, magnetically anisotropic hydrogel microrobots are developed to explore the potential of assembly behavior and collective locomotion driven by the interactions of multiple microrobots. In this, microrobots with distinct magnetic particle arrangements exhibit different critical frequencies under magnetic fields, which play a pivotal role in governing their assembly behavior and collective locomotion. By categorizing microrobots with varying critical frequencies into separate units, the dynamic behaviors and collective modes of these units are investigated under rotating magnetic fields. Through precise regulation of magnetic field parameters and analysis of interaction mechanisms, efficient and stable collective modes are demonstrated. Furthermore, diverse collective modes and reversible self-assembly dynamics of swarm microrobots are comprehensively investigated, with a specific focus on the biomedical application of linearly arranged microrobot swarms in targeted delivery. This work proposes a novel approach for achieving static assembly and controlled collective locomotion in microrobots, offering innovative insights into the design and implementation of swarm microrobots for biomedical engineering applications.
微型机器人中的集体行为通过群体微型机器人的相互作用和协作实现自组装并执行复杂任务，这在生物医学应用中具有巨大潜力。然而，诸如群体稳定性和多样性以及对复杂环境的适应性等挑战仍有待解决。在本研究中，开发了磁各向异性水凝胶微型机器人，以探索由多个微型机器人的相互作用驱动的组装行为和集体运动的潜力。在此过程中，具有不同磁性粒子排列的微型机器人在磁场下表现出不同的临界频率，这在控制它们的组装行为和集体运动中起着关键作用。通过将具有不同临界频率的微型机器人分类到不同单元中，研究了这些单元在旋转磁场下的动态行为和集体模式。通过精确调节磁场参数并分析相互作用机制，展示了高效稳定的集体模式。此外，还全面研究了群体微型机器人的多种集体模式和可逆自组装动力学，特别关注线性排列的微型机器人群体在靶向递送中的生物医学应用。这项工作提出了一种在微型机器人中实现静态组装和受控集体运动的新方法，为生物医学工程应用中的群体微型机器人的设计和实现提供了创新见解。
