Focused ultrasound advances soft robotics and brain regeneration research

Recent research highlights the expanding applications of focused ultrasound (FUS) in both material science and biomedical engineering. In soft robotics and advanced manufacturing, FUS is being established as a non-invasive mechanism to remotely actuate soft matter. Studies involving 4D-printed shape memory polymers have demonstrated that FUS can achieve over 95% shape recovery through localized heating. Additionally, liquid crystal elastomers have shown rapid, reversible bending under FUS without the need for embedded electronics or magnetic components.

In the medical field, researchers have discovered that FUS, when combined with intravenous microbubbles to modulate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), can stimulate oligodendrogenesis. In mouse models, this process significantly increased the proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells in the hippocampus and striatum, leading to a substantial increase in myelinating oligodendrocytes. This finding suggests that FUS-BBB modulation may offer therapeutic potential for enhancing white matter integrity and neurogenesis beyond its established use in targeted drug delivery.