Development of a sperm-flagella driven micro-bio-robot

Abstract

A new biohybrid micro-robot is developed by capturing bovine sperm cells inside magnetic microtubes that use the motile cells as driving force. These micro-bio-robots can be remotely controlled by an external magnetic field. The performance of micro-robots is described in dependence on tube radius, cell penetration, and temperature. The combination of a biological power source and a microdevice is a compelling approach to the development of new microrobotic devices with fascinating future applications.

Keywords: magnetic control; micro-bio-robot; microtube; motile cell; sperm flagella.