Researchers from Tel Aviv University, Israel, have created a micro-robot the size of a single biological cell that navigates using both electricity and magnetic fields and can identify and capture a single cell, opening the door to a vast array of applications.
Inspired by biological “swimmers” such as bacteria and sperm, the researchers developed a micro-robot (about 10 microns across) with the ability to move around the body autonomously or controlled by an operator.
Using a magnetic field to propel the micro-robot, also called a micro-motor, was attractive; it doesn’t require fuel or direct contact between the magnet and body tissues, can be steered accurately, and can function in a wide range of temperatures and solution conductivities. Electrically powered micro-motors offer advantages, such as selective cargo loading, transport and release and the ability to use electricity to “deform” cells, but they have some downsides. So, combining the two was a no-brainer.
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