Soft Millirobot Capable of Switching Motion Modes on the Fly for Targeted Drug Delivery in the Oviduct

Abstract

Small-scale magnetic robots with fixed magnetizations have limited locomotion modes, restricting their applications in complex environments in vivo. Here we present a morphology-reconfigurable millirobot that can switch the locomotion modes locally by reprogramming its magnetizations during navigation, in response to distinct magnetic field patterns. By continuously switching its locomotion modes between the high-velocity rigid motion and high-adaptability soft actuation, the millirobot efficiently navigates in small lumens with intricate internal structures and complex surface topographies. As demonstrations, the millirobot performs multimodal locomotion including woodlouse-like rolling and flipping, sperm-like rotating, and snake-like gliding to negotiate different terrains, including the unrestricted channel and high platform, narrow channel, and solid–liquid interface, respectively. Finally, we demonstrate the drug delivery capability of the millirobot through the oviduct-mimicking phantom and ex vivo oviduct. The magnetization reprogramming strategy during navigation represents a promising approach for developing self-adaptive robots for performing complex tasks in vivo.