Electrothermal Soft Manipulator Enabling Safe Transport and Handling of “Living” Cell Sheets and Bioelectronic Devices

Ultrathin materials made with “living” cells and microelectronic chips have emerged as significant technologies that improve the performance of tissue reconstruction, therapeutics, and healthcare monitoring. However, handling these thin and delicate materials remains a grand challenge because the external force applied for gripping and releasing can easily deform or damage the materials. This study presents a soft manipulator that can handle thin and fragile materials, such as “living” cell/tissue sheets and ultrathin electronic devices, without causing damage. The soft manipulator consists of a thermo-responsive, micro-channeled hydrogel, and a thin micro electric heater connected to an electrical power unit. Turning the power to the soft manipulator on and off makes the individual microchannels of the gel shrink and expand within 10 seconds and, in turn, lift or detach an object like a cephalopod’s suction cup controlled by a bioelectric signal. This quick adhesion/detachment process is achieved by a pressure change through the anisotropically aligned microchannels of the gel with tissue-like softness. In particular, the soft manipulator enables the transportation of ultrathin and fragile cell sheets and thin film devices in both wet and dry conditions. This soft manipulator would be useful for handling a broad array of cell/tissue sheets and ultrathin electronic materials.