Magoctopus: Bio-inspired small-scale magnetic soft octopus with programmable shape morphing and motions

Abstract

Microscale magnetic soft robots, with their tetherless propulsion capability, non-invasive interaction with the environment, and high adaptability to confined and unstructured spaces, hold tremendous promise in the field of biomedicine. These robots can navigate flexibly within narrow internal environments, such as blood vessels and organs, under remote magnetic field manipulation. However, the lack grasping capabilities in most existing microscale magnetic soft robots, has restricted their utility in medical applications. Inspired by the movement and predatory behavior of octopuses in the ocean, we have developed a microscale biomimetic magnetic octopus (Magoctopus), capable of mimicking biological functions such as movement and object grasping in liquid environments. The Magoctopus, with a total length of 17.30 mm and weight of 0.24 g, features a polystyrene head and six tentacles made of VHB (Very hard bond) material embedded with SmFeN powder for magnetic programming. By utilizing horizontally alternating magnetic fields, the six tentacles of Magoctopus can exhibit pre-programmed bending deformations to mimic the motion patterns of octopus tentacles. Furthermore, the Magoctopus has demonstrated capabilities in cargo delivery, targeted drug delivery, and other potential application, making it suitable for transportation within complex environments, biomedical applications, and beyond.