Forscher haben einen mit Magneten gesteuerten Mikroroboter entwickelt, der Medikamente an bestimmte Stellen im Körper transportieren kann, sich dann auflöst und seine Ladung am Zielort freigibt

>The researchers used a two-step strategy to bring the microrobot close to its target: first, they injected the microrobot into the blood or cerebrospinal fluid via a catheter. They went on to use an electromagnetic navigation system to guide the magnetic microrobot to the target location. The catheter’s design is based on a commercially available model with an internal guidewire connected to a flexible polymer gripper. When pushed beyond the external guide, the polymer gripper opens and releases the microrobot.
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>Swimming against the current – navigating blood vessels
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>To precisely steer the microrobots, the researchers developed a modular electromagnetic navigation system suitable for use in the operating theatre. “The speed of blood flow in the human arterial system varies a lot depending on location. This makes navigating a microrobot very complex,” explains Nelson. The researchers combined three different magnetic navigation strategies that allowed them to navigate in all regions of the arteries of the head.
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>This allows them to roll the capsule along the vessel wall using a rotating magnetic field. The capsule can be guided to its target with enormous precision at a speed of 4 millimetres per second.
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>In a different model, the capsule is moved using a magnetic field gradient: the magnetic field is stronger in one place than in another. This pulls the microrobot in the vessel towards the stronger field. The capsule can even go against the current – and at a considerable flow velocity of over 20 centimetres per second. “It’s remarkable how much blood flows through our vessels and at such high speed. Our navigation system must be able to withstand all of that,” says Landers.

>When the microrobot reaches a junction in the vessels that would be difficult to manoeuvre through, in-flow navigation comes into play. The magnetic gradient is directed against the wall of the vessel in such a way that the capsule is carried along into the correct vessel.
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>By integrating these three navigation strategies, the researchers gain effective control over the microrobots across various flow conditions and anatomical scenarios. In more than 95 percent of the cases tested, the capsule successfully delivered the drug to the correct location. “Magnetic fields and gradients are ideal for minimally invasive procedures because they penetrate deep into the body and –
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>at least at the strengths and frequencies we use – have no detrimental effect on the body,” explains Nelson.

[Clinically ready magnetic microrobots for targeted therapies | Science](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adx1708)

How the hell does this qualify as a robot?

Would could possibly go wrong…