{"database":"biostudies-literature","file_versions":[],"scores":null,"additional":{"omics_type":["Unknown"],"volume":["29(2)"],"submitter":["Rivas DP"],"pubmed_abstract":["Microrobot teams or swarms are promising candidates for many applications, such as micromanipulation, microsurgery, or targeted drug delivery. However, attaining individual control of the microrobots, which is a critical component to many of their applications, remains a significant technical challenge. We introduce a method to control the magnetic rolling speed of hematite semiconductor particles using localized UV light, attributed to light-induced changes in particle-substrate friction. Simulations and theoretical models support our experimental observations, showing how particle-substrate separation influences speed. Additionally, we demonstrate fixed patterning of microparticles via selective UV illumination at lower pH, demonstrating selective immobilization of microrobots, a conceptual step toward applications such as targeted drug delivery or patterned cell stimulation in future studies. Therefore, this work provides a novel approach for independent control of microrobot systems by modulating particle-substrate interactions with light."],"journal":["iScience"],"pagination":["114484"],"full_dataset_link":["https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12856435"],"repository":["biostudies-literature"],"pubmed_title":["Light-induced selective speed alteration of magnetically rolled semiconductor particles."],"pmcid":["PMC12856435"],"pubmed_authors":["Shah ZH","Das S","Shum H","Rivas DP"],"additional_accession":[]},"is_claimable":false,"name":"Light-induced selective speed alteration of magnetically rolled semiconductor particles.","description":"Microrobot teams or swarms are promising candidates for many applications, such as micromanipulation, microsurgery, or targeted drug delivery. However, attaining individual control of the microrobots, which is a critical component to many of their applications, remains a significant technical challenge. We introduce a method to control the magnetic rolling speed of hematite semiconductor particles using localized UV light, attributed to light-induced changes in particle-substrate friction. Simulations and theoretical models support our experimental observations, showing how particle-substrate separation influences speed. Additionally, we demonstrate fixed patterning of microparticles via selective UV illumination at lower pH, demonstrating selective immobilization of microrobots, a conceptual step toward applications such as targeted drug delivery or patterned cell stimulation in future studies. Therefore, this work provides a novel approach for independent control of microrobot systems by modulating particle-substrate interactions with light.","dates":{"release":"2026-01-01T00:00:00Z","publication":"2026 Feb","modification":"2026-06-20T03:21:27.637Z","creation":"2026-06-20T03:09:50.964Z"},"accession":"S-EPMC12856435","cross_references":{"pubmed":["41623479"],"doi":["10.1016/j.isci.2025.114484"]}}