Revolutionizing Surgery: The Rise of Tiny Biomedical Robots

Surgery is entering a new era, one where robots smaller than a millimeter can navigate the human body’s tightest spaces with unprecedented precision. Imagine a device so tiny it can glide through your lungs or oviducts, capturing images, avoiding obstacles, and delivering treatments—all while being 60% smaller than anything we have seen before. This is not science fiction; it is the latest breakthrough from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

The Breakthrough: World’s Smallest Multifunctional Robot

Researchers at HKUST’s School of Engineering have unveiled a game-changer: the world’s smallest multifunctional biomedical robot, measuring just 0.95 mm in diameter. This device is 60% smaller than existing endoscopic robots, making it a pioneer in navigating the body’s narrowest channels, such as the lung’s end bronchi and oviducts.

According to the report by Next Move Strategy Consulting, the global Surgical Robotics Market size is predicted to reach USD 119.67 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 7.4% from 2020-2030.

What makes this robot stand out?

It achieves an “impossible trinity” of capabilities:

• High-quality imaging: Captures clear visuals inside the body.

• Precise maneuvering: Moves with accuracy of less than 30 micrometers.

• Multifunctional operations: Performs tasks like sampling, drug delivery, and laser ablation.

This robot does not just shrink in size; it expands possibilities. It offers a 25-fold increase in imaging range and a tenfold improvement in obstacle detection, spotting barriers up to 9.4 mm away—far beyond theoretical limits.

The HKUST robot redefines surgical robotics with its compact size and unmatched capabilities, enabling access to previously unreachable areas of the body.

Who Are the Major Contenders in the Competitive Surgical Robotics Market?

The surgical robotics industry is fiercely competitive, featuring leading companies such as Medtronic plc; Smith & Nephew Plc (including Blue Belt Technologies, Inc.); Intuitive Surgical, Inc.; Auris Surgical Robotics, Inc. (formerly Hansen Medical Inc.); Stryker Corporation (via MAKO Surgical Corp.); Renishaw plc; KUKA AG; Mazor Robotics; Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc.; THINK Surgical Inc.; among several others.

How It Works: The Technology Behind the Tiny Titan

The robot’s design is a marvel of engineering, combining four key components:

• Optical fiber array: Captures high-resolution images inside the body.

• Custom tool: Delivers precise treatments, such as sampling, drug delivery, or laser ablation.

• Hollow skeleton: A microscale 3D-printed structure that holds the fibers and tools.

• Functionalized skin: A magnetic spray coating with a gel-like outer layer to reduce friction and enable smooth navigation.

The hollow skeleton is crafted using advanced microscale 3D printing, while the magnetic spray technique ensures the robot glides effortlessly during surgery. This design allows it to navigate complex in vitro bronchial models and ex-vivo porcine lungs, capturing clear images and performing treatments in tight spaces

The robot’s innovative components work in harmony to deliver precision, imaging, and functionality in a sub-millimeter package, setting a new standard for surgical robotics.

Why It Matters: Transforming Clinical Applications

This tiny robot is not just a technological feat; it is a lifeline for patients. Its ability to navigate narrow cavities with minimal invasiveness opens doors to new treatments for diseases that require precision in hard-to-reach areas. For example:

• Lung interventions: The robot can access the end bronchi, enabling early diagnosis and treatment of lung conditions.

• Reproductive health: It navigates oviducts for procedures like sampling or targeted therapy.

• Gastrointestinal repairs: Similar small-scale robots have been used to repair gastric and duodenal ulcers via single-port laparoscopy.

The robot’s low friction and high precision reduce recovery time and infection risk, making it a game-changer for minimally invasive surgery. Professor Shen Yajing, who led the project, emphasized its potential: “Small-scale continuum robots hold promise for interventional diagnosis and treatment, yet existing models often struggle with compactness, precise navigation, and visualized functional treatment all in one. Our study provides a significant solution for developing a surgical robot aimed at achieving early diagnosis and therapeutic goals in hard-to-reach areas of the body”.

By enabling precise interventions in tight spaces, this robot paves the way for safer, faster, and more effective treatments across multiple medical fields.

The Future: Scaling Up for Real-World Impact

The HKUST team is not stopping here. Their next goal is to refine the robot for practical clinical settings. Dr. Zhang Tieshan, a co-first author of the study, noted, “We aim to further optimize the design and control of the fiberscopic robot, prioritizing safety and reliability during interventional surgery. We look forward to implementing in vivo trials to demonstrate its performance in clinical scenarios.” He is one of the two co-first authors of the study, along with Dr. Li Gen. Other co-authors from HKUST include Dr. Yang Xiong, Research Assistant Professor, and Zhao Haoxiang, a Ph.D. student, both from the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering.

This robot builds on the growing role of small-scale continuum robots in medicine. These devices are already used in procedures like stent deployment for heart disease and electrophysiology catheter insertions, proving their versatility. As technology advances, we can expect even more refined versions of this robot to tackle complex surgeries with greater ease.

The HKUST team’s ongoing efforts to enhance the robot’s design and test it in clinical settings signal a bright future for surgical robotics.

Next Steps: Potential Implications for Surgical Robotics

The rise of sub-millimeter robots like HKUST’s creation signals significant potential for advancing surgical robotics. The research suggests opportunities for stakeholders to engage with this technology, such as:

• Staying informed about advancements through journals like Nature Communications.

• Investigating microscale 3D printing and magnetic coating techniques for developing next-generation surgical tools.

• Preparing surgeons through training programs to adopt advanced robotic systems.

• Encouraging patients to discuss minimally invasive robotic surgery options with healthcare providers.

• Fostering collaborations with institutions like HKUST to translate research into clinical applications.

The research opens avenues for stakeholders to explore and adopt this technology, potentially transforming surgical practices.

Conclusion: A Small Robot with Big Potential

The HKUST sub-millimeter fiberscopic robot is a testament to human ingenuity, shrinking the boundaries of what surgical robotics can achieve. Its ability to combine imaging, precision movement, and multifunctional operations in a 0.95 mm package is nothing short of revolutionary. As the team refines this technology for clinical use, it promises to make surgeries safer, faster, and more accessible. The future of medicine is small—and it is already here.