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by Keyword: Collective behavior
Lin, Jinwei, Guan, Qiaoxin, Feng, Jiangqi, Chen, Shuqin, Xu, Leilei, Guan, Jianguo, Sanchez, Samuel, (2025). Interactions Between Active Matters and Endogenous Fields ADVANCED MATERIALS 37, e03091 
Active matter, encompassing both natural and artificial systems, utilizes environmental energy to sustain autonomous motion, exhibiting unique non-equilibrium behaviors. Artificial active matter (AAM), such as nano/micromotors, holds transformative potential in precision medicine by enhancing drug delivery and enabling targeted therapeutic interventions. Under the demand for increasing intelligence in AAM, controlling their non-equilibrium processes within complex in vivo environments presents significant challenges. Endogenous fields-biological fields generated within living systems-play a pivotal role in guiding natural active matter's (NAM) directional migration and collective transformations, offering a strategy for in vivo control of non-equilibrium systems. Research in NAMs-inspired AAMs spans biology, chemistry, materials science, engineering, and physics, yet communication barriers among disciplines often impede progress. This review seeks to bridge these gaps by summarizing the key characteristics of chemical and physical endogenous fields in biological contexts such as tumors, wounds, and inflammation. It explores how natural and artificial active matter sense, transmit, and execute responses to these fields, and discusses how insights from natural systems can inform the design of synthetic counterparts. Potential issues and prospects of this research direction are also discussed. It is hoped that this review fosters interdisciplinary collaborations and propels the development of intelligent active matter for biomedical applications.
JTD Keywords: Acoustic propulsion, Active matter, Cell-migration, Collective behavior, Endogenous fields, Exhaled breath condensate, Extracellular ph, Hydrogen-peroxide, In-vivo, Interstitial fluid pressure, Nanomotors, Shear-wave elastography, Stimuli-responsive polymers, Tumor microenvironment
Ju, Xiaohui, Chen, Chuanrui, Oral, Cagatay M, Sevim, Semih, Golestanian, Ramin, Sun, Mengmeng, Bouzari, Negin, Lin, Xiankun, Urso, Mario, Nam, Jong Seok, Cho, Yujang, Peng, Xia, Landers, Fabian C, Yang, Shihao, Adibi, Azin, Taz, Nahid, Wittkowski, Raphael, Ahmed, Daniel, Wang, Wei, Magdanz, Veronika, Medina-Sanchez, Mariana, Guix, Maria, Bari, Naimat, Behkam, Bahareh, Kapral, Raymond, Huang, Yaxin, Tang, Jinyao, Wang, Ben, Morozov, Konstantin, Leshansky, Alexander, Abbasi, Sarmad Ahmad, Choi, Hongsoo, Ghosh, Subhadip, Fernandes, Barbara Borges, Battaglia, Giuseppe, Fischer, Peer, Ghosh, Ambarish, Sanchez, Beatriz Jurado, Escarpa, Alberto, Martinet, Quentin, Palacci, Jeremie, Lauga, Eric, Moran, Jeffrey, Ramos-Docampo, Miguel A, Stadler, Brigitte, Restrepo, Ramon Santiago Herrera, Yossifon, Gilad, Nicholas, James D, Ignes-Mullol, Jordi, Puigmarti-Luis, Josep, Liu, Yutong, Zarzar, Lauren D, Shields, C Wyatt, Li, Longqiu, Li, Shanshan, Ma, Xing, Gracias, David H, Velev, Orlin, Sanchez, Samuel, Esplandiu, Maria Jose, Simmchen, Juliane, Lobosco, Antonio, Misra, Sarthak, Wu, Zhiguang, Li, Jinxing, Kuhn, Alexander, Nourhani, Amir, Maric, Tijana, Xiong, Ze, Aghakhani, Amirreza, Mei, Yongfeng, Tu, Yingfeng, Peng, Fei, Diller, Eric, Sakar, Mahmut Selman, Sen, Ayusman, Law, Junhui, Sun, Yu, Pena-Francesch, Abdon, Villa, Katherine, Li, Huaizhi, Fan, Donglei Emma, Liang, Kang, Huang, Tony Jun, Chen, Xiang-Zhong, Tang, Songsong, Zhang, Xueji, Cui, Jizhai, Wang, Hong, Gao, Wei, Bandari, Vineeth Kumar, Schmidt, Oliver G, Wu, Xianghua, Guan, Jianguo, Sitti, Metin, Nelson, Bradley J, Pane, Salvador, Zhang, Li, Shahsavan, Hamed, He, Qiang, Kim, Il-Doo, Wang, Joseph, Pumera, Martin, (2025). Technology Roadmap of Micro/Nanorobots ACS Nano 19, 24174-24334
Inspired by Richard Feynman's 1959 lecture and the 1966 film Fantastic Voyage, the field of micro/nanorobots has evolved from science fiction to reality, with significant advancements in biomedical and environmental applications. Despite the rapid progress, the deployment of functional micro/nanorobots remains limited. This review of the technology roadmap identifies key challenges hindering their widespread use, focusing on propulsion mechanisms, fundamental theoretical aspects, collective behavior, material design, and embodied intelligence. We explore the current state of micro/nanorobot technology, with an emphasis on applications in biomedicine, environmental remediation, analytical sensing, and other industrial technological aspects. Additionally, we analyze issues related to scaling up production, commercialization, and regulatory frameworks that are crucial for transitioning from research to practical applications. We also emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address both technical and nontechnical challenges, such as sustainability, ethics, and business considerations. Finally, we propose a roadmap for future research to accelerate the development of micro/nanorobots, positioning them as essential tools for addressing grand challenges and enhancing the quality of life.
JTD Keywords: Catalytic nanomotor, Chemically powered nanomotors, Collective behavior, Drug-delivery, Functionality, Humans, Intelligence, Janus micromotors, Low-reynolds-number, Metal-organic frameworks, Micro/nanorobots, Motion control, Multiparticle collision dynamics, Nanotechnology, Near-infrared light, Propulsion, Robotics, Self-propelled micromotors, Smart materials, Technological translatio, Technological translation
Lin, Jinwei, Chen, Shuqin, Lezcano, Florencia, Li, Zhengshang, Xu, Leilei, Guan, Jianguo, Sanchez, Samuel, (2025). Collective Dynamics of Urease-Based Nanomotors in a Chemical Gradient Small 21, 2502212
Gradients are widespread in nature, including within the human body, making the study of nanomotors' collective dynamics in gradients crucial to advancing biomedical applications and deepening the understanding of natural active matters. However, the comprehensive understanding of nanomotors' collective dynamics under gradients remains underexplored, particularly. This study employs urease-based nanomotors (UrNMs) as a model system to explore their collective dynamics within a urea gradient, revealing three fundamental principles that govern their behavior: density-driven convection, UrNMs' response to the urea gradient, and a coupling effect between UrNMs and their environment. Initially, migration is dominated by convection-induced motion arising from the steep gradient. As convection gradually diminishes, UrNMs' positive response to the urea gradient becomes the dominant factor governing their migration. Notably, the coupling effect between nanomotors and the gel, plays a crucial role in the migration process. This coupling effect arises from hydrogen bonding between product anions and the gel, which generates ionic gradients. The dominant influence of electric force is validated by pH-controlled experiments. These insights advance the fundamental understanding of gradient-responsive nanomotor behavior and offer inspiration for the design of intelligent, environment-sensitive active systems.
JTD Keywords: Chemotaxis, Collective behavior, Gradient, Nanomotor
