A team of researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario has developed intelligent materials derived from plants, which are poised to serve as the foundational elements for the next wave of miniature medical microrobots. They can move through confined and flooded environments, like the human body, and deliver delicate and light cargo, such as cells or tissues, to a target position. (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Programmable nanocomposites of cellulose nanocrystals and zwitterionic hydrogels for soft robotics

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Innovative Plant-Based Soft Robots: Biocompatible Advancements

The tiny soft robots are a maximum of one centimetre long and are bio-compatible and non-toxic. The robots are made of advanced hydrogel composites that include sustainable cellulose nanoparticles derived from plants, according to the study published in the journal Nature Communications. This research, led by Hamed Shahsavan, a professor in the department of chemical engineering, portrays a holistic approach to the design, synthesis, fabrication, and manipulation of microrobots.

The hydrogel used in this work changes its shape when exposed to external chemical stimulation. The ability to orient cellulose nanoparticles at will enables researchers to program such shape-change, which is crucial for the fabrication of functional soft robots. “We introduce emerging microrobots by leveraging traditional soft matter like hydrogels, liquid crystals, and colloids,” said Shahsavan.