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Open Access Research Article Issue
Magnetically Actuated Soft Electrodes for Multisite Bioelectrical Monitoring of Ex Vivo Tissues
Cyborg and Bionic Systems 2025, 6: 0434
Published: 24 October 2025
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Multisite electrophysiological monitoring of ex vivo tissues and organ models is essential for basic research and drug toxicity evaluation. However, conventional microelectrode arrays with fixed positions and rigid structures are insufficient for dynamic, curved tissue surfaces. Here, we present a magnetically actuated soft electrode (MSE) with precise navigation, adaptive attachment, and high-fidelity signal acquisition. Operating in a “locate–adhere–record–detach” cycle, the MSE enabled continuous multisite detection on beating ex vivo tissues. In isolated rat heart experiments, the MSE demonstrated millimeter-level navigation accuracy, stable contact, and high signal-to-noise ratio (average 28 dB). By integrating magnetic locomotion with electrophysiological sensing, this work establishes a programmable, actively addressable platform for multisite electrophysiological monitoring of organ models, tissue slices, and engineered constructs, offering broad potential for cardiotoxicity screening and cardiovascular research.

Open Access Research Article Issue
Low-Friction Soft Robots for Targeted Bacterial Infection Treatment in Gastrointestinal Tract
Cyborg and Bionic Systems 2024, 5: 0138
Published: 05 July 2024
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Untethered and self-transformable miniature robots are capable of performing reconfigurable deformation and on-demand locomotion, which aid the traversal toward various lumens, and bring revolutionary changes for targeted delivery in gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, the viscous non-Newtonian liquid environment and plicae gastricae obstacles severely hamper high-precision actuation and payload delivery. Here, we developed a low-friction soft robot by assembly of densely arranged cone structures and grafting of hydrophobic monolayers. The magnetic orientation encoded robot can move in multiple modes, with a substantially reduced drag, terrain adaptability, and improved motion velocity across the non-Newtonian liquids. Notably, the robot stiffness can be reversibly controlled with magnetically induced hardening, enabling on-site scratching and destruction of antibiotic-ineradicable polymeric matrix in biofilms with a low-frequency magnetic field. Furthermore, the magnetocaloric effect can be utilized to eradicate the bacteria by magnetocaloric effect under high-frequency alternating field. To verify the potential applications inside the body, the clinical imaging-guided actuation platforms were developed for vision-based control and delivery of the robots. The developed low-friction robots and clinical imaging-guided actuation platforms show their high potential to perform bacterial infection therapy in various lumens inside the body.

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