Tiny, magnetically controlled robots coax nerve cells to grow connections

New research could point to additional treatments for people with nerve injuries

nerve cells and a tiny robot

Nerve cells (colored blue and green in this microscope image) grow along thin grooves of a microrobot that scientists control with magnetic fields.

Hongsoo Choi/ DGIST-ETH Microrobotics Research Center

Tiny robots can operate as nerve cell connectors, bridging gaps between two distinct groups of cells.