Drive
Measure force, torque, heating, field uniformity and response under representative flow.
System anatomy · 07
Microscale actuation and localisation
Evaluate magnetic, acoustic, optical, chemical or biological actuation together with fluid physics, imaging, workspace and external equipment.
Evidence statusResearch-frontier evidence framework · stage, material, control and retrieval validation requiredLast reviewed: 16 August 2026
07
FUURAA thesis
At small scale, actuation and observation are inseparable system constraints.
Engineering map
Turn the title into engineering objects that can be observed, measured and reviewed.
Each layer states the boundary to establish and the evidence needed for the next decision.
Locate
Report spatial and temporal resolution, depth, occlusion and identity ambiguity.
Navigate
Test branching, counter-flow, wall interaction and anatomical or geometric variation.
Verification questions
Write the questions first, then decide whether a demo, test, pilot or operating record can answer them.
Each question needs an object, conditions, denominator, threshold and accountable decision owner.
- 01
How much of the system is external to the microrobot?
- 02
Can position and orientation be observed at control rate?
- 03
What field or heating exposure accompanies motion?
- 04
How does control degrade across flow and depth?
Evidence to preserve
Enable the next reader to reconstruct conditions, results, failures and the decision.
A conclusion alone loses reviewability; raw records, configuration and exclusions matter too.
- 01
Evidence package 1
Actuation-field and workspace characterisation
- 02
Evidence package 2
Localisation uncertainty and update-rate record
- 03
Evidence package 3
Representative flow and geometry navigation trials
Scope boundary
State what this evidence still cannot be generalised to.
- 01
Externally guided motion is not onboard autonomy, and navigation in a transparent model does not establish control in opaque living or industrial environments.
- 02
This is an engineering reading and decision framework; it does not replace application-specific risk assessment, conformity work, procurement acceptance or professional advice.
Sources and evidence status
Read standards scope, measurement evidence and application conclusions separately.
Source dates and review status remain visible; external sources open in a new tab.
01
ETH Zurich · Published 2025-11-13 · verified 2026-08-16
↗02Magnetically guided microrobots for targeted drug delivery
Integrates a soluble capsule, magnetic navigation, X-ray visibility, catheter release and drug delivery, with testing in vascular models and large animals.
Harbin Institute of Technology · Published 2025-10-31 · verified 2026-08-16
↗03Microscale fish-like robot swarms for drug-delivery research
Reports magnetic coordination, three-dimensional motion, aggregation and shape-adaptive attachment, including ultrasound-guided control in in-vitro models.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Final guidance 2014-06 · verified 2026-08-16
↗Considering whether an FDA-regulated product involves nanotechnology
Explains that dimension-dependent properties may require particular, product-specific attention to safety, effectiveness, quality and regulatory status.