The soft robots can also travel inside the human body and deliver medicine.
The researchers developed these robots by integrating flexible electronics with magnetically controlled motion.
How Soft Robots Move and Respond
The team captured the robots crawling and rolling into a ball on video. The robots move using hard magnetic materials embedded in their flexible structure – allowing them to respond predictably to an external magnetic field.
Researchers can control the robots’ movements by adjusting the field’s strength and direction – making the robots bend or twist without onboard power or wires.
Autonomous Functionality of Soft Robots
Additionally, integrated sensors allow the robots to react autonomously to environmental clues. This means they can detect heat and obstacles in debris.
Soft robots are made from flexible materials that mimic the movement of living organisms. This makes these robots well suited for navigating tight spaces such as debris in a disaster zone.
Challenges in Designing Smart Soft Robots
Authors of this project, Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State, said that integrating sensors and electronics into the robotics flexible systems posed a challenge.
“The biggest challenge really was to make it smart," said Cheng. “For most applications, soft robots have been a one-way communication system, meaning they rely on external control to navigate through complex environments.”
Goal of Integrating Smart Sensors into Soft Robots
“Our goal was to integrate smart sensors so these robots could interact with their surroundings and operate with minimal human intervention,” he said.
What made these robots smarter was the integration of flexible electronics.
"We wanted to design a system where soft robots and flexible electronics work together seamlessly," Cheng said. "Traditional electronics are rigid, which makes integration difficult. Our solution was to distribute the electronic components in a way that preserves the robot’s flexibility while maintaining robust performance."
Medical Applications of Soft Robots
Cheng’s team plans to refine the technology for medical applications and create a “robot pill.” "One of the most fascinating potential applications is in implantable medical devices," said co-author Suk-Won Hwang, associate professor at the Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University. "We’re working on miniaturising the system to make it suitable for biomedical use."
Non-invasive Treatments with Soft Robots
He continued: “Imagine a small robotic system that could be swallowed like a pill, navigate through the gastrointestinal tract and detect diseases or deliver drugs precisely where they’re needed." The technology could provide less invasive treatment to traditional diagnostic procedures such as biopsies.
"With integrated sensors, these soft robots could measure pH levels, detect abnormalities, and even deliver medication to precise locations inside the body," Cheng said. "That means fewer invasive surgeries and more targeted treatments, improving patient outcomes."
Future of Soft Robots in Medical Treatments
Cheng plans for the robots to be used in vascular treatments.
"If we can make these robots even smaller, they could be injected into blood vessels to treat cardiovascular diseases or deliver medication directly to affected areas," Cheng said. "That would open up entirely new possibilities for non-invasive medical treatments."
