Future of Drug Delivery: Microrobotics and Self-powered Devices

Presently, traditional rigid-bodied robots are extensively applied in the manufacturing sector but their adaptability is at times limited. On the other hand, soft robots, made from intrinsically stretchable and/or soft materials such as silicone rubber or hydrogels, offer the possibility to connect humans with machines. The introduction of hydrogels into the field of soft robotics could widen its utilization in the biomedical arena such as drug delivery. Furthermore, the advancements in small-scale robotic devices such as micromotors and microrobots based on the chemical and physical properties of hydrogels have shown significant promise and recent developments into the research and fabrication of micromotors and microrobots have made them promising tools in addressing numerous biomedical challenges. With the ability to convert human biomechanical activities into electricity, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have found use in many biomedical and healthcare applications such as energy harvesters and self-powered sensors. Recently, considerable efforts have been made to develop hydrogel-based TENGs as an on-demand, controlled-release, and self-regulated drug delivery systems.