BIO-INSPIRED ADHESIVE MAGNETIC SOFT MICROROBOT BASED ON PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY

Creatures in nature achieve attachment to target objects by utilizing their surface features or regulating the secretion of mucus. Currently, there are many bioinspired robots that can adhere to biological tissues. However, relying on a single adhesion mechanism makes it difficult for robots to achieve adhesion enhancement under both ambient and underwater conditions. This paper reports a hydrogel microrobot with both an adhesive composition and a micropatterned surface structure, which enables the robots to have enhanced adhesion in both air and water. Moreover, microrobots are temperature sensitive and can cure and unfold micropatterned surfaces in response to changes of environmental temperature. Microrobots can be quickly delivered through catheters and tracked via ultrasound imaging machines. Therefore, the fabricated microrobot has the potential for use in minimally invasive in vivo medical applications.