Description

Soft robotics have spurred a burgeoning avenue of research within the field of robotics, impressive capabilities afforded by functional materials and fabrication techniques. Recent advancements in functional materials have endowed soft robots with enhanced functionalities, vastly expanding their potential applications across diverse fields. Of particular interest is their burgeoning role in biomedical applications, which has emerged as a focal point of research activity. A notable shift in focus has been towards the development of submillimeter-scale biomedical soft robots and integrated manipulatable devices characterized by precise controllability and compatibility. These biomedical soft robots heavily rely on nanomaterials and nanotechnology to dictate their functionalities. However, despite the significant strides made in this domain, there exists a dearth of comprehensive studies elucidating the promising advancements in functional nanomaterials and advanced nanotechnology as applied to soft robots for biomedical purposes. Hence, there is a pressing need to delve into this vital yet relatively unexplored research trajectory.

Biomedical soft robots

To bridge this research gap delve into recent achievements, technological hurdles and future prospects concerning the utilization of nanomaterials and nanotechnology in biomedical soft robots. Through a comprehensive analysis, we aim to offer insights into the current state of progress, with a primary focus on elucidating the mechanisms and functionalities of soft robots in relation to nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Ultimately, we conclude by outlining the primary challenges encountered in the development of biomedical soft robots and provide a forwardlooking perspective on future trends, envisioning the continued evolution of advanced nanomaterials and nanotechnology in this field. Soft robots possessing flexible bodies offer immense potential across various fields, especially in biomedicine. Currently, most soft robots rely on human control, either tethered or untethered. However, the development of soft robots capable of autonomously sensing and responding to their environment in a closed-loop manner-encompassing sensing, computing and actuation remains a significant challenge. The integration of active sensing capabilities into soft robots represents a crucial step toward achieving this objective. Recent advancements in bio-inspired sensing materials have spurred interest in creating soft robots with enhanced adaptability and communication capabilities.

ICP-MS instruments

For instance, leveraging optogenetics-engineered cardiomyocytes as actuating units in a soft robotic ray enables direct activation of electrical transmissions through light, enabling phototactic locomotion in response to a blue laser. By harnessing the inherent sensing and actuation abilities of cardiomyocytes, researchers have developed cardiomyocyte-actuated soft robots capable of directional motion and environmental sensing. In environments with varying potassium ion concentrations, these robots can sense changes and adjust their motions accordingly, even exhibiting different velocities. Additionally, integrating a strain-responsive structural color layer enables the robot to indicate its actuation states through color shifts. Furthermore, soft robots can acquire environmental sensing capabilities by incorporating periodic micro-/nano-structures, even without native sensing and actuation abilities. With its asymmetric design and sensitivity to vapor-induced strain, the mini-robot can detect chemicals like acetone in the atmosphere, responding with directional locomotion and rapid color changes, akin to natural escape and warning behaviors. The utilization of ICP-MS in biomedical settings has witnessed a substantial surge in recent years, extending beyond total elemental analysis to encompass speciation studies. Particularly noteworthy is the emergence of single cell ICP-MS, facilitating elemental species analysis within individual cells, thus introducing a novel facet to this methodology. Crucial advancements have been made in enhancing the introduction of cell suspensions into the ICP, through innovations such as nebulizer/spray chamber systems ensuring optimal transport efficiencies and low-volume laser ablation chambers. These strides coincide with the commercial release of ICP-MS instruments aimed at mitigating spectral interferences, alongside time-of-flight instruments boasting enhanced sensitivity. Additionally, prominent biomedical applications are revisited, with a focus on analyzing individual cells across three distinct areas of interest: Monitoring essential elements, assessing the integration of metallodrugs and nanostructures and scrutinizing biomolecules via labeling procedures.