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In March of this year, some media outlets highlighted the progress made by British scientists in creating micro-robots using 3D printing technology. They successfully printed tiny 3D robots known as microswimmers, which have potential applications inside the human body—like moving around and even carrying "cargo." Interestingly, researchers at the University of California recently developed a smart 3D-printed micro-robot called "microfish." These tiny fish can be injected into the bloodstream to perform complex medical tasks such as sensing, detoxifying, and delivering drugs precisely.
The project was led by Professor Chen Shaozhen and Professor Joseph Wang from the Department of Nanoengineering at the University of California, San Diego. The research was published in the journal *Advanced Materials* on August 12.
These fascinating microfish represent a major breakthrough in biomedicine. Essentially, they are small, fish-shaped robots that can swim efficiently through liquids. They are powered mainly by hydrogen peroxide chemistry and can also be controlled magnetically, giving them greater maneuverability.
To showcase their capabilities, the researchers conducted several experiments. They injected toxin-laden nanoparticles into the microfish and mixed them with polydiacetylene (PDA) nanoparticles, which capture harmful pore-forming agents. During testing, the microfish were able to clean up toxins quickly and effectively. This process was visible because the PDA nanoparticles emitted red fluorescence when bound to toxin molecules.
This is just one of many potential uses for these 3D-printed microfish. “This experiment clearly shows that microfish can act as an effective detoxification system and toxin sensor,†the researchers said. “Another exciting application is packaging drugs within the microfish and using them for targeted drug release.â€
Although many scientists have developed various types of micro-robots, these microfish stand out due to their unique design. Most existing micro-robots rely on simple propulsion systems like micro-jets or rockets. Many lack the ability to perform complex tasks because they are usually basic in shape, such as spheres or cylinders, and are often inorganic and homogeneous.
In contrast, the microfish created by this team are more advanced. Researchers can embed functional nanoparticles in specific parts of the robot and attach platinum nanoparticles to their tails, which react with hydrogen peroxide to propel the robot forward. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are placed on the head, allowing for magnetic control over their movement. “By drawing inspiration from nature, we’ve developed a completely new approach to designing micro swimmers that are thinner than a human hair but have complex geometries. With this method, we can easily integrate multiple functions into the micro-robot, making it suitable for a wide range of applications,†said Wei Zhu, co-first author of the study.
So how exactly are these tiny fish 3D printed? The team used a 3D printing technique called micro continuous light projection (μCOP), developed by Professor Chen Shaozhen’s lab. This method is fast, scalable, precise, and flexible, allowing hundreds of microfish to be printed in just a few seconds. Each microfish is about 120 microns long and 30 microns thick. Using computer modeling, the researchers can even design them to resemble different aquatic creatures, such as sharks or manta rays.
“With this 3D printing technology, we can not only create the shape of a fish, but also quickly build micro-robots based on other creatures, like birds,†the researchers explained.
The new 3D printing technology relies on a digital micromirror device (DMD) chip containing two million micromirrors. Each mirror is individually controlled by an algorithm to project UV light according to the desired fish shape. The materials are then cured layer by layer, similar to SLA 3D printing. “This approach makes it easier for us to test different designs and incorporate nanoparticles with various functions into these tiny structures. Based on this, we will continue to develop safer and more precise surgical micro-robots in the future,†the researchers concluded.