On the Actuation Technologies of Biomedical Microrobot: A Summarized Review

Abstract

In recent years, wireless microrobots have gotten more attention due to their huge potential in the biomedical field, especially drug delivery. Microrobots have several benefits, including small size, low weight, sensitivity, and flexibility. These characteristics have led to microscale improvements in control systems and power delivery with the development of submillimeter-sized robots. Wireless control of individual mobile microrobots has been achieved using a variety of propulsion systems, and improving the actuation and navigation of microrobots will have a significant impact. On the other hand, actuation tools must be integrated and compatible with the human body to drive these untethered microrobots along predefined paths inside biological environments. This study investigated key microrobot components, including medical applications, actuation systems, control systems, and design schemes. The efficiency of a microrobot is impacted by many factors, including the material, structure, and environment of the microrobot. Furthermore, integrating a hybrid actuation system and multimodal imaging can increase the microrobot's navigation effect, imaging algorithms, and working environment. In addition, taking into account the human body's moving distance, autonomous actuating technology could be used to deliver microrobots precisely and quickly to a specific position using a combination of quick approaches.