An Overview of Recent Progress in Micro/Nanorobots for Biomedical Applications

Abstract Micro/nanorobots are the general terms for microrobot and nanorobot, whose sizes are often between 1 nm and 1 mm. They can convert a variety of external energy sources into mechanical energy. In recent decades, micro/nanorobots have made remarkable progress in research. Based on different motion mechanisms, micro/nanorobots can achieve efficient movement and operation in microscale spaces owing to their small size and flexibility. Micro/nanorobots have attracted extensive interest because of their significant potential for development in biomedical fields, including minimally invasive surgery, targeted therapy, detection, and sensing. First, based on propulsion methods, research achievements and progress of micro/nanorobots in biomedicine are reviewed from four perspectives: physical, chemical, biological, and hybrid propulsions. Subsequently, research on overcoming the challenges encountered by micro/nanorobots in clinical applications is reviewed. Finally, research on micro/nanorobots in biomedicine is summarized and discussed.