Shape-shifting origami robots crawl, fold, and deliver medicine

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a novel 3D printing technique that integrates ultra-thin magnetic “muscles” into origami robots, enabling them to crawl, fold, and perform tasks such as delivering medicine inside the body. By infusing rubber-like elastomers with ferromagnetic particles, the team created a thin magnetic film that acts as an actuator when exposed to magnetic fields, allowing precise control over the robot’s movements without significantly increasing its size. This innovation overcomes previous limitations in magnetic soft robotics by using a hot plate during curing, which permits a higher concentration of magnetic particles and thus stronger magnetic forces. The researchers demonstrated the technology with two main prototypes: a drug-delivery robot based on the Miura-Ori folding pattern and a crawling robot capable of navigating varied terrains and climbing small obstacles. The drug-delivery robot can be swallowed compactly, then magnetically guided and unfolded inside the body to release medicine steadily at targeted sites, such as ulcers, offering a minimally invasive treatment