DIGITAL LIFE

Bluesky accounts hijacked in pro-Russia propaganda campaign

In recent weeks, hundreds of accounts have been taken over on the microblogging service Bluesky, which were then used to spread false or misleading claims and fake news. The New York Times reports, citing a research group from Clemson University in the US state of South Carolina and Bluesky itself. According to the report, actors from Russia are behind the attacks.

The propaganda was primarily directed against France as the main supporter of Ukraine. In some cases, the account holders were informed; in others, accounts were suspended. The newspaper does not specify exactly how the mass takeover of accounts works.

No strangers...Behind the campaign is said to be a Moscow-based company called Social Design Agency. It has long been accused of sowing discord in adversarial states through content manipulation. In an extensive analysis, the university's research team outlined just two months ago how the network from Russia tried to spread the agenda of the AfD, which is considered right-wing extremist in parts, on Bluesky before the recent federal election. In the current campaign, content aimed at discrediting Ukraine has been spread in waves since April. The New York Times was able to contact some affected individuals. They then removed the posts. Bluesky itself has also removed thousands of them.

Bluesky is one of several microblogging services competing with the big role model X and aiming to build on Twitter's user experience. With around 44 million accounts, the service is significantly smaller than Meta's Threads, but at the same time feels at least as relevant in public debates. This is likely why Russian interest in the service has grown. Darren Linvill, a leader of Clemson University's Media Forensics Hub, believes that those responsible for the hijacked accounts are “clearly still experimenting” – “they are always experimenting.” At Social Design Agency, they only need a bit of luck a few times for it to pay off. Bluesky itself speaks of an “industrywide problem”.

A Russian influence campaign hijacked hundreds of Bluesky accounts—many belonging to influential Americans—to spread propaganda, researchers said, in a striking disinformation tactic that weaponized authentic identities rather than relying on fake accounts.

The campaign, which the researchers at Clemson University linked to the Moscow-based firm Social Design Agency (SDA), targeted journalists, academics, and filmmakers on the tech platform.

Many of the compromised accounts were used to post anti-Ukraine narratives, illustrating how pro-Kremlin propagandists are seeking novel ways to undermine support for the war-torn country that Russia invaded in 2022.

"Looks like someone got into my account and posted some story about France and Ukraine," Wall Street Journal reporter Alex Ward wrote on Bluesky.

The post in question has now been deleted and Ward said he had regained control of his account.

A database of compromised accounts—created by an internet monitor tracking Russian influence operations and shared with AFP by a Clemson University researcher—included at least one other Wall Street Journal reporter.

"Bluesky account got compromised and banned and then I got the account back somehow," Jake Tucker, editorial director at the PC Gaming Show, wrote on the platform.

Other compromised accounts included filmmaker Mary Beth McAndrews and academic Ben Gilbert.

"We have certainly seen bad actors use hacked accounts and stolen accounts in the past. Frequently, in fact. This seems more targeted," Clemson University's Darren Linvill told AFP.

"I've personally never seen Russia use hacked accounts at this scale before."

"No ethical constraints"...It was unclear how many accounts had been hacked, with Bluesky removing many of the propaganda posts or suspending affected accounts until their owners stepped forward to regain control.

Linvill said he had personally tracked at least "a couple of hundred accounts the Russians hacked," but the real number was likely far higher.

Bluesky said it has removed 4,907 accounts linked to "state-backed influence activity" this year, roughly double the pace seen last year.

"Compromising real accounts to spread propaganda is a tactic these actors have used elsewhere for years, but this is the first time we've seen them attempt it on Bluesky," the platform's safety team wrote in a post.

"The accounts accessed were mostly older and dormant, though some active accounts were affected too."

"To be clear, Bluesky's systems were not breached. Individual user accounts were compromised, likely via credentials leaked in data breaches."

Clemson University attributed SDA's campaign to a Kremlin influence operation known among researchers as Matryoshka (Russian doll), which has been known for disinformation campaigns based on impersonation.

"It has stolen the logos of media outlets, government agencies, and private companies and used AI to clone the voices of celebrities, policemen, academics, journalists, and others," Joseph Bodnar, a senior research manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, told AFP.

"Hacking into accounts to post content using someone else's identity is a logical next step for an operation that appears to have a lot of resources and no ethical constraints," Bodnar added.

"Sophistication isn't impact"...The SDA has been sanctioned by the United States, European Union and the United Kingdom for information warfare campaigns.

"The SDA has been tasked and funded by the Kremlin to deliver a series of interference operations designed to undermine democracy and weaken support for Ukraine," Britain's Foreign Office said earlier this month.

The statement came after Britain unveiled new sanctions targeting 49 individuals working for the SDA, including writers, translators and video makers responsible for "deceptive Kremlin propaganda."

However, the reach of the Bluesky hacking campaign appeared to be limited, with the platform's safety team saying their "posts averaged 50 views" before they were taken down.

"Sophistication isn't impact," Bodnar said.

"Matryoshka's impact is driven more by public perception than by its ability to persuade audiences online. It's a perception hack."

© 2026 AFP

TECH

PD-100 Black Hornet: The world's smallest known war drone to date

The PD-100 Black Hornet is a small unmanned aerial vehicle, originally developed by Prox Dynamics and now manufactured by Teledyne FLIR Defense, designed to give soldiers in the field a discreet way to observe threats, access remote locations, and enhance situational awareness in military operations.

With ultra-compact dimensions, the Black Hornet was created to be carried alongside a soldier's individual equipment. The complete system includes two drones and a base station, and was designed to fit in a soldier's pocket. The idea is to allow small units to reconnoiter congested, dangerous, or difficult-to-access areas without having to expose themselves directly.

The PD-100 model measures approximately 100 millimeters in length, has a 120-millimeter rotor diameter, and weighs 16 grams, including the surveillance camera. The complete system, without the display, weighs less than 1 kilogram. Despite its size, the drone features a molded plastic structure, aerodynamic shape, and the ability to withstand strong winds.

Cameras, GPS, and near-silent flight...The Black Hornet is equipped with three surveillance cameras hidden in the front. It also has a steerable electro-optical camera capable of producing still images and live videos transmitted to a portable device used by the operator.

The drone can be controlled directly via a joystick-like device or programmed to follow a predefined route with the aid of integrated GPS. The digital data link allows the equipment to operate in a straight line up to 1,000 meters away.

According to system information, the Black Hornet generates almost imperceptible noise, a characteristic that increases its use in reconnaissance missions. It is ready to fly in less than a minute, reaches speeds of up to 10 meters per second, and has a maximum autonomy of 25 minutes.

From Afghanistan to the US Army...The development of the Black Hornet began in April 2008 by Prox Dynamics. Following flight tests and operational evaluations, the drone entered mass production in early 2012.

The UK Ministry of Defence awarded a $31 million contract to Prox Dynamics, through Marlborough Communications, to supply 160 units of the system to the British armed forces. The equipment was deployed in Afghanistan to meet the surveillance needs of UK troops.

Prox Dynamics delivered 100 Black Hornet units in early 2013 and, in November 2016, was acquired by FLIR Systems in a $134 million transaction.

In the United States, the drone was selected in July 2014 by the US Army's Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Centre as part of its Pocket Cargo Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance program. The equipment underwent training with US military forces in the first quarter of 2015.

More recent versions...FLIR launched the Black Hornet 3 in June 2018. The model weighed 32 grams and gained improved features, including the ability to fly in GPS-free environments. In January 2019, the company received an initial contract of US$39.7 million for the Black Hornet 3, followed by another of US$20.6 million for the supply of the model's Personal Reconnaissance Systems.

The Black Hornet 4 version represents the new generation of these lightweight nanodrones. Weighing 70 grams, the equipment can fly for more than 30 minutes, travel more than three kilometers, and operate in winds of 25 knots and rain. The model also features a 12-megapixel daytime camera, a high-resolution thermal camera, advanced obstacle avoidance capabilities, and video and image transmission to the operator.

In May, FLIR Defense inaugurated a 13,000-square-foot facility in Somerset, Kentucky, that will serve as a support center for maintenance, testing, and training related to the Black Hornet systems used by the United States Armed Forces.

In total, FLIR Defense has delivered more than 33,000 Black Hornet drones to military and security forces in over 45 countries. The U.S. Army began acquiring the system in 2018 as part of the Soldier Borne Sensor program. Since then, orders placed through the program and other contracts have totaled more than $300 million.

 

by mundophone

 

MEDIATEK

MediaTek Dimensity 8550 brings Gemini Nano V3 with scarce improvements

MediaTek has just unveiled its latest processor for the mid-range market, the Dimensity 8550. At a time when we await the big reveal of the flagship Dimensity 9500 at the end of the year, the brand has decided to make a small update to its popular chip from last year.

However, if you were expecting a performance revolution for your next affordable smartphone, it's best to temper your enthusiasm. The first details indicate that we are facing a rather modest update, which recycles much of what we have already seen in its direct predecessor.

The main highlight is entirely artificial intelligence. The new chip seeks to put local AI capabilities in the hands of more users, but when it comes to the "engine" itself, the changes compared to the previous Dimensity 8400 appear to be minimal.

Almost a clone of the Dimensity 8500...The component is practically identical to the already known Dimensity 8500: we have a high-performance 8-core Arm Cortex-A725 CPU running at up to 3.4 GHz, a Mali-G720 MC8 GPU, and the MediaTek NPU 880. The lithography has not been announced, but it is expected to be the same TSMC 4nm N4P process.

The only notable improvements to the platform are the addition of an LLM Booster, to better execute Large Language Models, and compatibility with Gemini Nano v3, one of the search giant's most robust AI models designed for use on limited devices, such as smartphones themselves.

This compatibility suggests that the 8550 was launched simply as a revision of the 8500 prepared for Gemini Intelligence, a feature package that will be one of the pillars of Android 17. Powered by local AI, the solution promises to make the Android system smarter with features such as user-generated widgets and a Gboard keyboard that understands natural language speech — one of the requirements of the solution is precisely access to the Gemini Nano v3.

The big news and the main reason for the existence of this Dimensity 8550 is its new and improved 790 series NPU (Neural Processing Unit). This technical advancement finally guarantees official support for the Gemini Nano V3 and Meta's Llama 4 multimodal framework.

In practice, this means that processing heavy artificial intelligence tasks — such as text generation, real-time translation, or advanced image processing — will now happen locally on your phone, much faster and without relying on the cloud. It's an important step towards democratizing tools that were previously exclusive to the higher-end range.

With manufacturers focused on shoving the "AI" designation onto every device in 2026, it's completely understandable that MediaTek has made this update its big commercial flagship for brands seeking cheaper chips.

Familiar specifications with a recycled feel...But if the NPU is the star, the processor's basic architecture is an authentic "copy/paste" from the previous generation. Built on TSMC's 4nm process, the Dimensity 8550 maintains the exact same core structure, offering speeds almost identical to the older 8400.

The GPU also hasn't undergone significant changes. Despite native support for AI upscaling technology within games (MediaTek Super Resolution), the graphics card remains the familiar Mali-G715. To give you a clear picture, here are the main technical characteristics of the CPU:

-1 high-performance Cortex-A715 core (running up to 3.2GHz);

-3 performance Cortex-A715 cores (running at 3.0GHz);

-4 efficiency Cortex-A510 cores (focused on battery saving);

-Support for QHD+ resolution displays at 144Hz.

In short, if your top priority in a new smartphone is quick access to native generative AI models, this chip may justify the purchase. If you're looking for a noticeable leap in pure performance or in demanding games, you might want to wait for competing alternatives or the next generation.

The technical criteria, which also include at least 12 GB of RAM, were even the subject of discussion, considering that the official list of devices that met the specifications is very limited, restricted until now to premium models such as the Samsung Galaxy S26, Google Pixel 10 and OnePlus 15.

With today's launch, MediaTek opens the door for more phones to take advantage of Gemini Intelligence, potentially popularizing Google's AI suite, even though the company did not highlight this in the announcement.

Interestingly, the Dimensity 8550 has already made its debut in a customized "Elite" variant in the Chinese version of the HONOR 600 Pro, presented last Monday (25). Other devices with the platform should be announced in the coming days.

mundophone

TECH

Improving power communication systems with knowledge graphing

New research published in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology suggests that so-called knowledge graphs, a form of AI-based data organization, could improve the reliability and maintenance of power communication systems that help keep the lights on and modern electricity grids running smoothly.

Why context is fundamental in complex systems...Context is what transforms raw information into actionable knowledge. Each data element can have significant applications in multiple overlapping contexts. In a system of systems, managing these interconnected contexts is crucial—the integrity, reliability, and usefulness of the data depend on it.

Consider a smart city, where transportation, energy, water, and emergency services are all interconnected. Each system generates its own data, but the real value emerges when you understand the relationships between them—how a power outage affects traffic lights or how emergency services reroute their routes in response to a road closure. Graph-based frameworks are particularly well-suited for modeling these complex and dynamic relationships.

The human factor: perception and cognitive limitations...While technology provides the tools to store and connect vast amounts of information, humans remain the ultimate consumers and decision-makers. Research shows clear limits to the complexity that people can handle when visualizing graphs—especially as the number of nodes and connections increases. Many existing studies are based on small, homogeneous groups (often university students), meaning that best practices for real-world use cases and diverse users are still under development.

With the explosion of sensors and data streams, navigating a massive information space becomes increasingly challenging. Users need clear starting points ("You are here") and intuitive navigation tools, or they risk getting lost in a dense and confusing data forest. A good system design should enhance the user's situational awareness and support effective guidance and decision-making, even under pressure.

Complexity factors: beyond volume...Complexity in systems of systems isn’t just about the sheer amount of data. Other factors, such as time, geography, and the layering of different concerns, add further dimensions. Each facet may require its own abstraction or visualization technique to make the data comprehensible to users. Often, generic methods of navigation in complex systems fall short of helping users navigate domain-specific knowledge spaces.

Graph Navigation Strategies: Top-Down, Bottom-Up, and Middle-Out...Navigating complex graphs can follow several strategies, each suited to different user needs:

Top-Down: Start with an overview of the entire system, then drill down to specifics. This is ideal for monitoring or data science tasks, where understanding the big picture is crucial before focusing on details.

Bottom-Up: Begin at a specific point of interest and explore outward. Useful for investigations or troubleshooting, such as tracing the source of a system failure.

Middle-Out: Start from an abstraction or cluster within the graph, then move to more detailed or broader views. This is common when browsing large systems where users may not know their endpoint in advance, such as navigating a wiki or exploring a knowledge graph.

The researchers report that such a system works better than a conventional database in query efficiency, fault diagnosis, and operational decision-making. They explain that this technology could be used to help utility operators anticipate equipment failures earlier and manage increasingly complex power networks more effectively.

Power communication equipment functions as the information backbone of electricity grids, enabling substations, sensors and control centers to exchange data in real time. However, as grids are becoming more digitalized through smart sensors, distributed energy systems and private 5G networks, operators are generating far larger volumes of interconnected data that somehow has to be managed.

The researchers argue that conventional relational databases struggle with this level of complex data. Relational databases organize information into rigid tables linked by predefined relationships. While suitable for simpler systems, the researchers say they create information silos in large infrastructure networks, where maintenance records, fault reports, environmental conditions, and operational data are fragmented across separate systems.

The proposed AI framework instead uses a knowledge graph, which represents devices, faults, maintenance activities, and communication links as interconnected nodes. By explicitly mapping relationships between all these different pieces of information, the system can identify dependencies and hidden correlations more effectively. In order to integrate this information from different sources, the researchers used natural language processing (NLP), an AI technique that extracts meaning from human language.

NLP enables the system to analyze unstructured materials such as maintenance reports and technical documents alongside structured operational data. The resulting information is stored in the graph database designed specifically for highly connected data. This approach allows the utility operator to have in place predictive infrastructure management. Now, instead of relying mainly on manual inspections and operator experience when faults occur, they can predict failures in advance and carry out preventative maintenance.

Provided by Inderscience

TECH

Huawei's new ahip Architecture threatens Nvidia's empire

Huawei has just revealed its new trump cards for chip development in the coming years, and the news is not encouraging for Nvidia. The Chinese tech giant is investing heavily to dominate the artificial intelligence market in China, a crucial territory for hardware sales.

Since US sanctions cut off the company's access to cutting-edge technologies, many doubted its ability to recover. However, the manufacturer seems to have found an alternative path that promises to shake the foundations of the global semiconductor market.

By promising to abandon traditional industry rules, Huawei is preparing to close the technological gap that separates it from its main global rivals. If analysts' predictions are confirmed, US dominance in technology exports may be about to suffer a severe blow.

To circumvent restrictions and continue innovating, Huawei has announced that it will stop following the historic Moore's Law. Instead, the manufacturer will adopt the so-called Tau scaling law (τ), a completely different approach to the development of its semiconductors. It's a bold move, but one that demonstrates the company's determination not to stand still.

The star of this new strategy is the LogicFolding architecture. According to the data revealed, this innovative technology will allow the company to achieve a transistor density equivalent to the advanced 1.4 nanometer process. It's a brutal technological leap that puts the brand's processors side-by-side with the most coveted solutions on the Western market.

The impact of innovations until 2031...The company's plans are long-term, and the goals set for the beginning of the next decade are quite ambitious. He Tingbo, president of the brand's semiconductor division, has already confirmed that they don't necessarily need the expensive and restrictive state-of-the-art EUV lithography machines to manufacture these new chips.

Here are the key points underpinning the Asian manufacturer's new strategy:

-Adoption of Tau's scaling law (τ) to replace Moore's law.

-Introduction of LogicFolding architecture with a density equivalent to 1.4 nanometers.

-Achievement of historical milestones in the mobile processor and artificial intelligence industry by 2031.

-Drastic reduction in dependence on Western technological equipment.

This level of self-sufficiency is impressive, proving that the sanctions ended up having the opposite effect to what was desired. Instead of hindering Chinese development, the blockades forced the creation of a highly capable, independent, and long-term results-focused internal ecosystem.

Nvidia is undoubtedly the main victim in this story. The American giant has already lost about half of its market share in China, and the situation is set to worsen. Analysts are beginning to call this turnaround another “DeepSeek” moment, referring to the disruptive innovation that threatens the established status quo in the world of artificial intelligence.

Current reality shows us that the performance of Huawei's domestic AI chips is already closing the gap with titans like Nvidia's H200. With China becoming increasingly self-sufficient, the United States is rapidly losing its main lever of technological control. It remains to be seen how the American giants will respond to this blow, but one thing is certain: you'll want to closely follow the next developments in this true semiconductor war.

An Alternative to Moore's Law...According to Reuters, the next Kirin chips for smartphones, expected to debut later this year, will be the first to adopt an architecture based on this principle. Called LogicFolding, the technology promises to shorten the internal wiring of the chips and considerably improve performance.

The goal is that by 2031, even without access to advanced lithography machines — restricted by US embargoes — the company will achieve a transistor density equivalent to the 1.4 nanometer process.

Huawei's search for engineering alternatives began after 2019, when it received sanctions that limited access to international software and suppliers. Fans of the brand immediately notice the impact due to the absence of US software on devices, such as Google services on Android.

For hardware, however, the company also does not have access to the photolithography systems of ASML, which supplies its products to giants like Intel and TSMC. The Taiwanese company already plans to mass-produce 1.4 nm chips by 2028, while China has production capacity in processes up to 7 nm.

The new architecture relies on a principle parallel to Moore's Law, called the Tau Expansion Law. According to the TechSpot portal, the approach involves stacking multiple layers of circuits on a single chip, shortening internal connections to gain performance.

The goal is the same as the miniaturization process popularized by Intel, which reduces the energy circulation time through smaller transistors at higher density.

However, according to Reuters, the president of the company's semiconductor division, He Tingbo, acknowledged that there are still challenges related to overheating and the need for new tools for the Tau standard.

Even so, Tingbo defended the company's progress and stated that "very good solutions" have been found, without going into details. "I can confidently say that in the next 10 years our solutions for mobile computing and AI computing will be competitive," he assured. Speaking of AI, the company plans to extend the architecture to the Ascend line—aimed at AI and used, among other things, in the DeepSeek V4 model, launched last month—and to data center servers by 2030.

Huawei's commercial advancement has also been acknowledged by Nvidia itself. In recent statements, CEO Jensen Huang stated that the company had "largely ceded" the Chinese AI chip market to Huawei because of restrictions imposed by Washington.

mundophone

TECH

Optical wireless quantum security: Free-space QKD and Li-Fi in one system

The German consortium QuINSiDa has achieved a major step toward mobile quantum-secure communication. They demonstrated a one-of-a-kind free-space data transfer channel supporting, for the first time, LiFi and major quantum key distribution (QKD) implementations. Additionally, the system integrates key management (KMS), encryption, and monitoring, illustrating technological readiness.

This architecture enables quantum-secure key delivery without relying on fiber or radio, opening new possibilities for high-security networks where flexible infrastructure is desirable.

So far, most quantum communication systems depended on dedicated fiber networks, limiting their flexibility. QuINSiDa has now demonstrated an integrated optical-wireless quantum security stack in the laboratory, combining free-space Continuous- and Discrete-Variable QKD (CV/DV-QKD) with Li-Fi and connecting the result to key management, encryption, and monitoring.

The setup operates over a line-of-sight optical link, enabling quantum-secure key distribution for civil critical infrastructure applications, including maritime and harbor connectivity, industrial campuses, aviation, automotive environments, temporary secure networks, and fixed-to-mobile links. The design allows to conveniently deploy and monitor the system while remaining compatible with existing security workflows.

With this achievement, Germany steps closer to a future where quantum-secure communication is moving toward mobile security applications that can be deployed wherever optical wireless links are feasible. This brings quantum-secure encryption into real-world operations and offers a powerful tool for securing critical infrastructure.

Fraunhofer IPMS' role in the project...Within the QuINSiDa project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is primarily responsible for developing and integrating Li-Fi-based optical wireless communication.

Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) is a wireless communication technology that utilizes light to transmit data, providing high-speed data transfer, enhanced security, and minimized interference. It is specifically designed for environments where radio frequency communication is restricted or where secure data exchange is essential.

In the QuINSiDa project, Fraunhofer IPMS provides optical transmitter and receiver systems, combining them with quantum key distribution (QKD) to enable wireless, quantum-secure data transmission.

This work builds on Fraunhofer IPMS's more than 15 years of experience in the development of optical wireless Li-Fi systems as well as integrating optoelectronic components.

Additionally, Fraunhofer IPMS is developing an optical free-space communication system based on a telescope setup to replace the current fiber-optic link between QKD components. This approach paves the way toward a fully wireless QKD-over-LiFi system.

                 Close-up of the Li-Fi connection between the two QKD nodes. Credit: KeeQuant

Technical highlights...The breakthrough lies in a combination of Li-Fi and QKD that enables line-of-sight communication. In this approach, Li-Fi and QKD are integrated into the same wireless environment:

-Continuous-Variable QKD at 1550 nm

-Discrete-Variable QKD at 810 nm

-Li-Fi in the 850–940 nm range.

Wavelength separation and optical filtering allow all three to operate simultaneously without disturbing each other. In the integrated system, the QKD post-processing data is transmitted over the Li-Fi link rather than in a dedicated channel. The Li-Fi connection thus forms the only channel for classical communication, which is an advantageous simplification.

Maintaining a stable free-space optical link requires precise alignment, which the QuINSiDa system achieves by using a Pointing/Acquisition/Tracking (PAT) subsystem. Li-Fi supports endpoint identification/localization and provides a feedback channel, enabling PAT to acquire and maintain alignment for the quantum link.

The project implemented a coupling/interface concept that can serve both CV-QKD and DV-QKD while preserving the signal properties relevant to QKD. PAT control and telemetry are fully integrated into the overall communications flow.

The QuINSiDa setup focuses on practical operational readiness and integrates key management, encryption, and monitoring. At the same time, network management workflows and telemetry (e.g., via a gNMI-based approach) are adapted to QKD, Li-Fi, and PAT components.

The result is an end-to-end system designed not only as a laboratory demonstration, but as a deployable, monitorable, and maintainable solution ready for operational security environments.

Provided by Fraunhofer-Institut für Photonische Mikrosysteme IPMS

TECH

'5-in-1' seed-sized surgical robot switches tools in under one second

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a tiny seed-sized robot that can navigate across soft and uneven surfaces to perform five surgical functions wirelessly, paving the way for developing robots to make surgeries and medical treatments more precise.

The miniature robot, measuring just 4.4 mm in length and controlled by weak magnetic fields, can move, cut biological tissues, release drugs, grip and store tissue samples, or generate heat remotely at any one time. It takes under a second to switch between these functions.

Led by Associate Professor Lum Guo Zhan from NTU's School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), the work was published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Using magnetic coils in the laboratory to remotely control the robot, the team was able to make the robot deploy different tools and perform different functions, such as activating a tiny blade to cut through tissue, or emitting heat to a targeted area, which could be relevant for approaches being studied that use heat for cancer treatment.

"Most magnetic robots like this can perform only one or two functions. Our latest invention can now do five, and our long-term goal is for doctors to use these mini robots in the body, navigate them to a targeted location, and use them to perform treatments," said Assoc Prof Lum, who is a pioneer in miniature robots made from soft, flexible materials.

Mini robots are being studied worldwide as a possible way to make minimally invasive surgical and medical procedures safer, less painful and more precise.

Such devices could one day allow doctors to carry out targeted surgeries deep inside the body without large cuts or bulky surgical instruments.

Overcoming a key robotics challenge...To fit multiple functions into a robot only a few millimeters long, the NTU team developed a device for controlling movements that is activated by magnetic fields and which can be reprogrammed in under a second.

The robot is made from soft magnetic materials, including PDMS and Ecoflex, which are silicone-based materials commonly used in soft robotics as they are flexible and can be shaped into small structures.

These materials are embedded with magnetic microparticles measuring 5 micrometers each, allowing different parts of the robot to respond to magnetic fields.

At the center of the device is a magnetic module that can be magnetized, demagnetized and remagnetized in different directions.

Each magnetic orientation activates a different function of the robot, allowing the same mobile robot to perform five different functions, including cutting and grasping tissues.

The researchers also engineered different regions of the robot to ensure that only one part, but not the rest, responds to the same magnetic field.

This means that only one part of the robot reacts to a magnetic field to change its shape to activate a tool or function, while other parts remain still and unchanged in their current forms, addressing a major limitation in miniature magnetic robots.

At small scales, magnetic fields often affect the entire device at once, causing it to behave like a single magnet, with all parts reacting to a magnetic field, thus limiting how precisely it can move or activate different tools.

Most miniature magnetic robots are also limited to five degrees of freedom. They can only move along three axes and rotate in two directions.

The NTU robot adds a sixth movement, rolling, which allows it to spin around its own long axis. This gives the robot finer control over how it can be positioned, which is important for navigating narrow, soft and irregular spaces, such as those inside the body.

Unlike slime-like mini robots, the NTU robot has a solid but flexible body, making it sturdier and easier to retrieve after use.

Tested on biological tissues...The NTU team tested the robot's surgical functions using biological tissue models, including chicken liver, as well as gelatin-based materials that simulate soft tissue.

In laboratory tests, the robot cut through biological tissues, dispensing particles simulating drug particles, gripped and stored tissue samples, and generated localized heat after being induced by magnetic fields.

To produce heat, the researchers exposed the robot to a high-frequency alternating magnetic field. This caused magnetic materials inside the device to generate heat remotely, in an approach relevant to magnetic hyperthermia methods being explored in cancer treatment.

The team also evaluated the biocompatibility of the robot's materials by exposing them to human skin cells under laboratory conditions.

More than 99 percent of the cells remained viable after exposure to the robot's materials, similar to the control group, suggesting that the materials were largely non-toxic under the experimental conditions.

The team—including NTU's MAE alumnae Dr. Chelsea Shan Xian Ng and Ms. Yu Xuan Yeoh, and current Ph.D. student Nicholas Yong Wei Foo, who are co-authors of the research—is now exploring how future versions could be combined with imaging technologies, sensing systems and clinically realistic artificial organ models that better mimic the physical behavior of human tissues.

Assoc Prof Lum is also working with surgeons to understand how mini robotic systems could eventually fit into real clinical workflows.

"For these robots to move closer to practical use, we need to understand not just how they work in the lab, but how they could be guided, monitored and controlled in realistic medical settings," he added.

Giving independent comments, Dr. Yeong Leong Litt, Leonard, Senior Consultant from the Division of Neurology at the National University Hospital, said, "These millimeter-scale magnetically guided robots are truly remarkable in their ability to traverse complicated environments and then perform a variety of tasks such as deliver medication to a location, perform biopsies and administer therapeutic heat remotely.

"I can envision that they have the potential to replace many aspects of interventional radiological surgery and become a new mode of therapy in medicine."

The research project took seven years. A technology disclosure on this innovation has been filed through NTUitive, the University's innovation and enterprise company.

Provided by Nanyang Technological University