Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed plant-based microrobots that are capable of navigating the human body to deliver cargo, such as cells or tissues, to specific locations.

According to its developers, the non-toxic and biocompatible microrobots are composed of hydrogel composites featuring cellulose nanoparticles from plants.

Source: University of Waterloo

The researchers explained that the smart material can reportedly change shape when exposed to external chemical stimulation, thereby enabling the robots to perform different medical tasks — including biopsies and cell and tissue transport — according to the robot’s shape.

Likewise, the material possesses self-healing properties and can be modified with the addition of magnetism to encourage the movement of the robots through the human body.

To demonstrate the potential of microrobots composed of the plant-based material, the researchers successfully directed a tiny robot through a maze via magnetic field.

This suggests, according to the researchers, that the plant-based microrobots could potentially be employed for future targeted drug delivery, tissue repair and human body exploration, among other medical applications.

To see the microrobot navigate a maze in the lab, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of the University of Waterloo.

An article detailing the microrobots, “Programmable nanocomposites of cellulose nanocrystals and zwitterionic hydrogels for soft robotics,” appears in the journal Nature Communications.