Liquid-bodied robot enables precise eradication of implant-related biofilm infections

Medical implants inside the human body that lack immune protection are highly susceptible to biofilm infections.

Traditional antibiotic therapy struggles to penetrate biofilm barriers, while surgical removal of infected implants carries risks of secondary trauma.

An international research team led by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has achieved a breakthrough in the field of medical microrobots by developing the world's first antibiofilm liquid-bodied magnetic-controlled robot.

They have also introduced new features, including unique viscoelastic properties that allow the robot to adapt to diverse operational environments and a triple synergistic antibiofilm mechanism, paving the way for innovative solutions to combat biofilm infections.

The liquid-bodied robot performed exceptionally in tests on infected medical implants. Biofilm on a 3D-structured hernia mesh was reduced by 84% after treatment, while 87% of bacteria on a metal biliary stent were killed.

Image source: Sun et al. (2025), Science Advances, Phys.org.