Scientists at MIT have achieved a groundbreaking feat by creating a miniature soft robot, taking inspiration from cucumber vines, which can navigate through hard-to-reach, three-dimensional environments using a single, weak magnetic field. This inchworm-like robot, constructed from magnetized rubber polymer spirals, shows immense potential in maneuvering through tiny spaces, such as human blood vessels.

Traditional locomotive soft robots relied on moving magnetic fields to control their movements. However, MIT’s innovative approach avoids the need for a moving magnet, which may not be suitable for operating in constrained environments. Instead, the researchers designed a stationary instrument that applies a magnetic field to the entire sample, making it safer and more efficient.

Drawing inspiration from cucumber vines’ coiled tendrils, engineers created the soft robot using two types of rubber layered on top of each other. The material is then heated and stretched into a thin fiber, forming a tightly wound spiral similar to the thin vines of cucumber plants wrapping around structures. A magnetizable material is threaded through the polymer spiral and strategically magnetized, allowing for versatile movement and directional control.

The customizable magnetic patterns of each robot enable multiple soft bots to move in different directions when exposed to a single, uniform weak magnetic field. Additionally, the robots can vibrate through subtle field manipulation, enabling them to carry cargo to specific locations and shake it off to deliver payloads precisely.

The soft robot’s unique properties and simple manipulation make it an ideal candidate for various biomedical applications. One potential use is inching through human blood vessels to deliver drugs precisely at desired locations, opening up new possibilities for targeted and minimally invasive medical treatments. The potential of this cucumber-inspired soft robot offers exciting prospects for advancements in biomedical research and practical applications in the near future.

By Impact Lab