Magnetically-actuated soft robots have potential for medical application but require further innovation on functionality and biocompatibility. In this letter, a multi-segmented snakeinspired soft robot with dissolvable and biocompatible segments is designed. The actuation response under external magnetic field is investigated through simulations and experiments. A dissolvecontrollable mixture of gelatin, glycerol and water (GGW) in a mass ratio of 1:5:6 is used to form the structure of the robot. The dissolution of GGW in water and mucus is tested. Magnetic cubes made of silicone rubber mixed with ferromagnetic particles are used to achieve snake-like motion under the influence of a rotating magnetic field. The motion of the robot is tested under different magnitudes and frequencies of the magnetic field. The ability of the robot to navigate obstacles, move over ground and under water as well as on the oil-coated surface, dissolve and release a drug is demonstrated through experiments. The combination of multi-segmented design and biocompatible and dissolvable materials illustrates the potential of such robots for medical applications.

Magnetically‐actuated soft robots for medical applications are required to be functional, biocompatible, as well as capable of robust motion inside human organs. In this paper, a ring‐shaped magnetic soft robot, with a flexible biopolymeric film coating, capable of motion on mucus‐coated surfaces is designed and investigated. The biopolymeric film made from chitosan–glycerol (C–G) solution endows the robot with robust locomotion capabilities on surfaces of diverse geometrical shapes and orientations. By utilizing mucoadhesive locomotion, the robot has the potential to carry out clinical procedures on enclosed mucus‐coated tissue surfaces. Material characterization shows that the mucoadhesion increases with the increase of contact times and/or preload forces. The softness of the C–G film can be adjusted by controlling the concentration of glycerol. The ring‐shaped design and magnetization profile decouple the locomotion and functions of the robot. Additionally, the C–G film‐coated robot is tested to be biocompatible for a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line with epithelial morphology (HT29). The C–G film reduces the negative effects (superoxide generation) of ferromagnetic particles. Three robot functions including pick‐and‐place, cargo transportation, and liquid capsule release are demonstrated on different surfaces to show the maneuverability, functionality, and potential of implementing clinical procedures through mucoadhesion.

Magnetic Soft Robots In article number 2201813, Venkatsubramanian Kalpathy Venkiteswaran and co‐workers develop a biocompatible soft polymer film for coating the outer surface of a soft robot which can be controlled using magnetic fields. The Chitosan‐Glycerol film endows the robot with ability of locomotion on confined 3D surfaces through the formation of hydrogen bonds with mucus‐covered biological surfaces.