Researchers, Daniel Ahmed and Bradley Nelson, professors at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering of ETH Zurich, have developed a means to power microvehicles to traverse against fluid flow in the human body. These microvehicles can navigate in blood vessels and against the direction of blood flow.
In their experiment, the scientists utilized magnetic beads made of iron oxide and a polymer with a diameter of 3 micrometers. A magnetic field powered these particles to cluster into a swarm with a diameter of between 15 and 40 micrometers.
Using ultrasound at a specific frequency, the scientists guided the microbeads to the wall of the tube. Then the researchers initiated a rotating magnetic field to propel the swarm against the flow. This groundbreaking application has the potential to push nanotechnologies further in cancer treatment and cardiovascular therapeutics.