Magnetic Milli-spinner

Vascular diseases like thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and aneurysms can block or weaken blood vessels, requiring precise treatments. Traditional methods use catheters—long, flexible tubes—to guide medical tools, but navigating narrow, twisting vessels, such as those in the brain, can be difficult. Magnetically controlled untethered robots offer a potential solution, but many struggle to move against strong blood flow.

This project introduces the milli-spinner, a small, magnetically actuated robot designed for rapid movement and medical intervention inside blood vessels. Its hollow body, equipped with helical fins and slits, creates a unique flow pattern that propels it efficiently. The milli-spinner moves at speeds of 23 cm per second, making it the fastest untethered magnetic robot for navigating tubular environments. With its ability to move precisely and perform different treatments, it could improve how vascular diseases are managed in the future. The demonstration at SRC shows a model of a human head. The magnetic milli-spinner is then controlled to travel through veins in the brain to simulate it’s potential usage in safely clearing blood clots.