A review on microrobots driven by optical and magnetic fields

Hou, Yaozhen; Wang, Huaping; Fu, Rongxin; Wang, Xian; Yu, Jiangfan; Zhang, Shuailong; Huang, Qiang; Sun, Yu; Fukuda, Toshio

doi:10.1039/d2lc00573e

Cited by 35 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 178 publications

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“…Compared with other strategies for steering micromotors, such as those using magnetic fields, − physical boundaries, or taxis, optoelectronic steering is dynamic and reprogrammable and capable of manipulating single micromotors or their collectives. Moreover, because dielectrophoresis and the optoelectronic effect are universal, micromotors of a wide variety of propulsion mechanisms or physiochemical properties can be steered with high precision and tunability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Steering Micromotors via Reprogrammable Optoelectronic Paths

Chen

El‐Sayed

et al. 2023

ACS Nano

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Steering micromotors is important for using them in practical applications and as model systems for active matter. This functionality often requires magnetic materials in the micromotor, taxis behavior of the micromotor, or the use of specifically designed physical boundaries. Here, we develop an optoelectronic strategy that steers micromotors with programmable light patterns. In this strategy, light illumination turns hydrogenated amorphous silicon conductive, generating local electric field maxima at the edge of the light pattern that attracts micromotors via positive dielectrophoresis. As an example, metallo-dielectric Janus microspheres that self-propelled under alternating current electric fields were steered by static light patterns along customized paths and through complex microstructures. Their long-term directionality was also rectified by ratchet-shaped light patterns. Furthermore, dynamic light patterns that varied in space and time enabled more advanced motion controls such as multiple motion modes, parallel control of multiple micromotors, and the collection and transport of motor swarms. This optoelectronic steering strategy is highly versatile and compatible with a variety of micromotors, and thus it possesses the potential for their programmable control in complex environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Steering Micromotors via Reprogrammable Optoelectronic Paths

Chen

El‐Sayed

et al. 2023

ACS Nano

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“…Today, the development of microrobots is a highly dynamic field of research [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. There are numerous different approaches presented in scientific literature [ 4 , 5 ]: magnetic swimmers [ 6 , 7 ] and inchworms [ 8 ], optical driven microrobots [ 9 , 10 ], lyposome-based systems [ 11 ], enzyme catalysis powered micromotors [ 12 ], and many others. Among them, microorganisms are also a focus of interest because microbial cells are already mobile systems with high levels of autonomy as they have already an “energy system”, can use chemicals from the environment as food, use chemical or sunlight as an energy source, replicate itself via division, provide the biosynthesis of necessary chemicals, and demonstrate directional movement.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial Cells as a Microrobots: From Drug Delivery to Advanced Biosensors

Готовцев

2023

Biomimetics

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The presented review focused on the microbial cell based system. This approach is based on the application of microorganisms as the main part of a robot that is responsible for the motility, cargo shipping, and in some cases, the production of useful chemicals. Living cells in such microrobots have both advantages and disadvantages. Regarding the advantages, it is necessary to mention the motility of cells, which can be natural chemotaxis or phototaxis, depending on the organism. There are approaches to make cells magnetotactic by adding nanoparticles to their surface. Today, the results of the development of such microrobots have been widely discussed. It has been shown that there is a possibility of combining different types of taxis to enhance the control level of the microrobots based on the microorganisms’ cells and the efficiency of the solving task. Another advantage is the possibility of applying the whole potential of synthetic biology to make the behavior of the cells more controllable and complex. Biosynthesis of the cargo, advanced sensing, on/off switches, and other promising approaches are discussed within the context of the application for the microrobots. Thus, a synthetic biology application offers significant perspectives on microbial cell based microrobot development. Disadvantages that follow from the nature of microbial cells such as the number of external factors influence the cells, potential immune reaction, etc. They provide several limitations in the application, but do not decrease the bright perspectives of microrobots based on the cells of the microorganisms.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…28 Similar studies have been widely reported that micromotors are advantageous for biomedical applications. 29,30 Nevertheless, on the path of micromotors toward practical applications, many obstacles that need to be urgently addressed have been proposed, such as the limited capacity of individual micromotors 31 and the scalability of functionality. 32 Inspired by the behaviours of creatures in nature, many studies on collective behaviours or transformations between different behaviours of micromotors have been reported recently and have aroused wide interest.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%