A Biomimetic Starfish‐Inspired Magnetic Soft Robot with Ultrasound Monitoring for Targeted Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapy

ABSTRACT

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management requires long‐term, localized drug delivery to mitigate the severe side effects of systemic treatments. Bridging this gap, we present a biomimetic, starfish‐inspired magnetic soft robot for precise navigation, secure attachment, and sustained therapy within the gastrointestinal tract. Mimicking Acanthaster planci , our robot features a multi‐arm structure with inward‐facing microspines, enabling a wide grasping range and firm adhesion to intestinal tissue. Fabricated from a polymer‐magnetic composite and engineered with prestressed joints, the robot is actuated by a programmable magnetic field to perform complex locomotion, including rolling and walking, for targeted site navigation. Upon arrival, it firmly attaches to deploy a localized drug payload over an extended period. The entire treatment process is monitored by position sensing of the magnetic soft robot using ultrasound (US) imaging technique. The US images facilitate real‐time navigation and accurate localization of the soft robot at designated target locations. Moreover, biosafety was confirmed via zebrafish embryo assays, while drug release kinetics were characterized across different hydrogel membranes. Ex vivo demonstrations in porcine intestines validated the robot's capabilities in targeted residency and targeted sustained drug delivery. This platform represents a remarkable step toward intelligent, minimally invasive systems for automated and personalized IBD treatment.