Remotely Controlled Miniature Biological Robots Could Be Used for MIS and Detection of Disease Biomarkers
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 23 Jan 2023 |

A team of researchers has developed remotely controlled miniature biological robots that could find potential applications in medicine, such as minimum invasive surgery or detection of cancer within the human body.
The hybrid “eBiobots” are the first to combine soft materials, living muscle and microelectronics, according to researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, IL, USA), Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA) and collaborating institutions. They have described their centimeter-scale biological machines in the journal Science Robotics.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign had earlier developed biobots, which are small biological robots powered by mouse muscle tissue grown on a soft 3D-printed polymer skeleton. In 2012, the team had demonstrated walking biobots. In 2016, they had also demonstrated light-activated biobots which provided the researchers with some control. However, the inability to deliver the light pulses to the biobots outside of a lab setting limited their practical applications. This time, researchers at Northwestern University helped integrate tiny wireless microelectronics and battery-free micro-LEDs, allowing them to remotely control the eBiobots.
With the aim of providing freedom of movement to the biobots in order to make them suitable for practical applications, the researchers focused on eliminating bulky batteries and tethering wires. The eBiobots use a receiver coil to harvest power and provide a regulated output voltage to power the micro-LEDs. The researchers are able to send a wireless signal to the eBiobots that prompts the LEDs to pulse. The LEDs stimulate the light-sensitive engineered muscle to contract, moving the polymer legs so that the machines can “walk.” The micro-LEDs are so targeted in a way that they can activate specific portions of muscle, making the eBiobot turn in the desired direction.
Using computational modeling, the researchers optimized the eBiobot design and integrated the components for robustness, speed and maneuverability. The iterative design and additive 3D printing of the scaffolds enabled rapid cycles of experiments and improvement in performance, according to the researchers. The design offers potential for future integration of additional microelectronics, such as chemical and biological sensors, or 3D-printed scaffold parts for functions like pushing or transporting things that the biobots can encounter. The integration of electronic sensors or biological neurons could allow the eBiobots to sense and respond to biomarkers for disease, among other possibilities.
“Integrating microelectronics allows the merger of the biological world and the electronics world, both with many advantages of their own, to now produce these electronic biobots and machines that could be useful for many medical, sensing and environmental applications in the future,” said study co-leader Rashid Bashir, an Illinois professor of bioengineering and dean of the Grainger College of Engineering.
“In developing a first-ever hybrid bioelectronic robot, we are opening the door for a new paradigm of applications for health care innovation, such as in-situ biopsies and analysis, minimum invasive surgery or even cancer detection within the human body,” said co-first author Zhengwei Li, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Houston.
Related Links:
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Northwestern University
Latest Technology News
- Electronic Biosensors Used to Detect Pathogens Can Rapidly Detect Cancer Cells
- Safer, Portable and Low-Cost Imaging Solution to Revolutionize Biomedical Diagnostics
- Multifunctional Nanomaterial Simultaneously Performs Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Immune Activation
- Ultra-Sensitive Biosensor Based on Light and AI Enables Early Cancer Diagnosis
- Low-Cost Biosensing Technology Detects Disease Biomarkers in Minutes
- AI Tool Could Help Identify Specific Gut Bacterial Targets for Treatment of Diseases
- Inexpensive DNA Coated Electrode Paves Way for Disposable Diagnostics
- New Miniature Device to Transform Testing of Blood Cancer Treatments
- Biosensing Advancement to Enable Early Detection of Disease Biomarkers at POC
- New POC Biosensing Technology Improves Detection of Molecular Biomarkers
- Enhanced Lab Data Management and AI Critical to Labs of the Future, Finds Survey
- AI-Assisted Non-DNA Based Test Identifies Viral Infections in Minutes
- AI Method Predicts Overall Survival Rate of Prostate Cancer Patients
- Breath Test to Enable Early Detection of Breast Cancer
- First Ever Technology Recognizes Disease Biomarkers Directly in Menstrual Blood in Sanitary Towels
- Tiny Microlaser Sensors with Supercharged Biosensing Ability to Enable Early Disease Diagnosis
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Skin Swabs Could Detect Parkinson’s Years Before Symptoms Appear
Parkinson’s disease is notoriously difficult to diagnose in its early stages, as motor symptoms do not appear until later in the progression of the disease. The ability to detect the disease up to seven... Read more
New Clinical Chemistry Analyzer Designed to Meet Growing Demands of Modern Labs
A new clinical chemistry analyzer is designed to provide outstanding performance and maximum efficiency, without compromising affordability, to meet the growing demands of modern laboratories.... Read more
New Reference Measurement Procedure Standardizes Nucleic Acid Amplification Test Results
Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) play a key role in diagnosing a wide range of infectious diseases. These tests are generally known for their high sensitivity and specificity, and they can be developed... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Highly Accurate Biomarkers Could Detect Ovarian Cancer Before Clinical Diagnosis
Ovarian cancer is a deadly and challenging disease, primarily because early detection is difficult. Most women (70-75%) are diagnosed only after the cancer has already spread, which significantly reduces... Read more
New Gene Tool to Enable Earlier Detection and Treatment of Cardiometabolic Diseases
Cardiometabolic diseases, which affect the heart, blood vessels, and the body's ability to process food and generate energy, are difficult to diagnose early due to the complex genetic changes that contribute... Read moreHematology
view channel
Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results
Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more
First Point-of-Care Heparin Monitoring Test Provides Results in Under 15 Minutes
Heparin dosing requires careful management to avoid both bleeding and clotting complications. In high-risk situations like extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), mortality rates can reach about 50%,... Read moreImmunology
view channel
New AI System Uncovers Hidden Cell Subtypes to Advance Cancer Immunotherapy
To produce effective targeted therapies for cancer, scientists need to isolate the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of cancer cells, both within and across different tumors. These differences significantly... Read more
Evolutionary Clinical Trial to Identify Novel Biomarker-Driven Therapies for Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastatic breast cancer, which occurs when cancer spreads from the breast to other parts of the body, is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Nearly 90% of patients with metastatic cancer will... Read more
Groundbreaking Lateral Flow Test Quantifies Nucleosomes in Whole Venous Blood in Minutes
Diagnosing immune disruptions quickly and accurately is crucial in conditions such as sepsis, where timely intervention is critical for patient survival. Traditional testing methods can be slow, expensive,... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Early Detection of Gut Microbiota Metabolite Linked to Atherosclerosis Could Revolutionize Diagnosis
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and atherosclerosis plays a critical role in its development. This chronic condition, characterized by the hardening and narrowing of arteries... Read more
Viral Load Tests Can Help Predict Mpox Severity
Mpox is a viral infection that causes flu-like symptoms and a characteristic rash, which evolves significantly over time and varies between patients. The disease spreads mainly through direct contact with... Read more
Gut Microbiota Analysis Enables Early and Non-Invasive Detection of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder marked by abnormal glucose metabolism during pregnancy, typically emerging in the mid to late stages. It significantly heightens the risk of... Read morePathology
view channel
AI Tool Accurately Determines Breast Cancer Prognosis
A new study has found that cells and tissues surrounding a breast cancer tumor may hold critical information about how patients will respond to treatment. The research, published in the journal Patterns,... Read more
Powerful New Tool Improves Tissue Cancer Analysis
Studying the mix of cell types in human tissue is crucial for understanding diseases like cancer, but it presents significant challenges in both accuracy and scalability. The tumor microenvironment, composed... Read moreIndustry
view channel
QuidelOrtho and BÜHLMANN Collaborate on Gastrointestinal Biomarker Tests
QuidelOrtho Corporation (San Diego, CA, USA) and BÜHLMANN Laboratories AG (Schönenbuch, Switzerland) have announced the availability of the BÜHLMANN fCAL turbo and fPELA turbo assays on QuidelOrtho's... Read more