Membrane-based Acoustic Microrobots

2026-06-18

AI Summary

This work addresses the limitations of conventional acoustic microrobots, whose operational lifetime and resonance frequency stability are compromised by rapid dissolution of gas bubbles within sealed microcavities. To overcome this, the authors propose a soft acoustic microrobot encapsulated by a flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane, which significantly suppresses gas diffusion and thereby enhances actuation stability. Integrated magnetic microparticles enable precise navigation under low-intensity magnetic fields. This design fundamentally mitigates bubble dissolution, allowing continuous and stable operation for over 24 hours even under high driving voltages. Furthermore, the platform supports scalable fabrication at the hundred-micrometer scale and enables controllable locomotion.

Abstract

Acoustic microrobots have emerged as a promising frontier for targeted drug delivery and minimally invasive medicine due to their high-power density and biocompatibility. Despite wide-ranging designs, conventional acoustic microrobots mostly rely on air microbubbles trapped within confined microcavities within the robot body, which suffer from limited operational longevity due to rapid gas dissolution and resultant shifts in resonance frequency. In this paper, we propose a robust, membrane-based acoustic microrobot that overcomes these limitations by employing a thin flexible Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane bonded over confined microcavities for microstreaming. The introduced design physically prevents gas diffusion, ensuring stable performance over extended periods at high actuation voltages. We systematically characterized the membrane-based acoustic actuator longevity, demonstrating consistent streaming and propulsion for over 24 hours of continuous operation. In addition, by embedding magnetic microparticles into the structural body, these actuators were successfully employed as microswimmers with directional control using low-intensity (2 mT) external magnetic fields. Finally, we demonstrate the scalability of the proposed design architecture down to ~100 um. This membrane-based approach establishes a reliable framework for the development of high-endurance acoustic microactuators and microrobots capable of performing long-term tasks.

Problem

• acoustic microrobots
• microbubbles
• gas dissolution
• resonance frequency shift
• operational longevity

Innovation

• membrane-based acoustic microrobot
• PDMS membrane
• microstreaming
• long-term stability
• magnetic steering