World’s smallest 3D bioprinting robot helps repair vocal cords

Researchers at McGill University have developed the world’s smallest 3D bioprinting robot, a flexible soft device measuring just 2.7 millimeters in diameter, designed to deliver hydrogels directly to damaged vocal cords. Inspired by the structure of an elephant’s trunk, this miniature bioprinter can fit inside the human throat without obstructing the surgeon’s view, allowing precise reconstruction of delicate vocal fold tissues. The device extrudes a hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel in fine lines controlled manually by surgeons in real time, enabling accurate repair of vocal fold defects caused by lesions or surgery. Vocal cord surgeries often result in scarring that impairs speech, and current hydrogel injections are difficult to control in the narrow throat environment. This new bioprinter addresses these challenges by integrating with standard surgical workflows and providing predictable, repeatable movements within a 20 mm workspace. The research team demonstrated the robot’s precision by drawing complex shapes and successfully applying hydrogels to synthetic vocal folds used