From Lab to Clinic: The Expanding Role of Robots and Actuators in Biomedicine

A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 1266

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
Interests: 3D printing; microrobot
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Guest Editor Assistant
School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
Interests: magnetic control micro-robot; position-controlled drug delivery hydrogel soft robot; surface adhesion micro-robot
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The integration of robotics and advanced actuators into biomedical research has rapidly transformed both fundamental studies and clinical practices. This special issue, From Lab to Clinic: The Expanding Role of Robots and Actuators in Biomedicine, highlights the latest advances at the intersection of engineering, life sciences, and medicine. It features innovative strategies for designing, fabricating, and controlling robotic systems and actuators for diagnostic, therapeutic, and surgical applications. Topics include micro- and nanorobots for targeted drug delivery, soft robotic systems for minimally invasive interventions, and intelligent actuation technologies for real-time physiological modulation. Emphasis is placed on translational research that bridges proof-of-concept demonstrations in laboratory settings with in vivo studies and clinical applications. By showcasing cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, this issue aims to inspire new directions and collaborations that will accelerate the clinical deployment of robotic and actuation technologies in biomedicine.

Dr. Zhixing Ge
Guest Editor

Dr. Xingyue Hu
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • micro- and nanorobots
  • soft robotics
  • intelligent control systems
  • minimally invasive therapy
  • biomedical robotics
  • clinical translation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

28 pages, 8171 KB  
Article
Bionic Design Based on McKibben Muscles and Elbow Flexion and Extension Assist Device
by Hong Jiang, Qingyi Zeng, Yang Jiang, Zihao Zuo and Yanhong Peng
Actuators 2026, 15(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15010021 - 31 Dec 2025
Viewed by 965
Abstract
The increasing aging population and the rise in sports injuries have led to greater demand for elbow function rehabilitation and daily assistance. To address the limitations of traditional rigid rehabilitation aids and existing flexible assistive systems, this paper designs a wearable elbow-assist robot [...] Read more.
The increasing aging population and the rise in sports injuries have led to greater demand for elbow function rehabilitation and daily assistance. To address the limitations of traditional rigid rehabilitation aids and existing flexible assistive systems, this paper designs a wearable elbow-assist robot that arranges pneumatic muscles based on the distribution of human elbow muscles. By integrating bionic design, experimental research, and mathematical modeling, the proposed approach determines the optimal scheme through comparative experiments on material structures and provides supporting data, while the mathematical model describes the force characteristics of the pneumatic muscles. Final experiments verify that the system can effectively assist elbow movement and significantly enhance flexion torque. Full article
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