Recently, the team led by Professor Yin Zhen from the College of Electronic and Information Engineering at Tongji University has achieved notable advancements in the realm of biohybrid microrobots. Their research, entitled "Biohybrid navigation: Fusing intrinsic motility with external magnetic steering," has been published in the esteemed journal Matter.

In this study, the team introduces a high-efficiency design strategy that allows for the manipulation of microalgal cells through an external magnetic field by magnetizing them. This innovation enables biohybrid robots to navigate with remarkable agility in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional confined spaces.

Experimental results reveal that these magnetically guided biohybrid robots exhibit distinctive motion patterns, including zigzagging and crossing trajectories. Such capabilities significantly enhance their mobility and adaptability within confined environments.

This breakthrough not only enriches our understanding of biohybrid robot behavior but also opens up new avenues for precision navigation applications across various fields, such as biotechnology, medicine, and environmental science.