Bio-inspired Soft Robotics for Targeted Drug Delivery and Minimally Invasive Surgery: A Biomimetic Approach to In-Vivo Therapeutic Intervention and Manipulation

Abstract

The growing demand for less invasive and more precise medical procedures has underscored the limitations of conventional rigid robotic systems, which often lack the compliance and dexterity required for safe navigation and manipulation within delicate biological tissues. Addressing this gap necessitates the development of new robotic platforms capable of combining precision, adaptability, and biocompatibility for in-vivo therapeutic applications. This study presents a bio-inspired soft robotic system designed according to the locomotion and manipulation principles observed in marine invertebrates. The robot is fabricated from a newly developed hydrogel with high biocompatibility and tunable actuation properties, enabling exceptional flexibility within complex physiological environments. The system integrates a multi-channel pneumatic control mechanism that facilitates precise, multi-degree-of-freedom motion and a modular end-effector configuration adaptable to both targeted drug delivery and minimally invasive surgical tasks. Experimental validation in a simulated physiological environment demonstrates superior maneuverability through tortuous pathways analogous to blood vessels and intestinal tracts. The robot achieves over 95% accuracy in payload release and performs tissue manipulation tasks with minimal mechanical stress. The closed-loop control system enables accurate and intuitive operation, achieving significantly reduced task completion times compared with conventional systems. The proposed platform represents a significant advancement in soft medical robotics, offering a versatile and effective approach toward safer, more adaptive, and intelligent therapeutic interventions.