Biomolecular motor-based micro-sized robots have recently created an innovation in the field of science and technology as molecular transporters. Groups of these tiny robots can work substantially better than individual ones in terms of the transported distance and number or size of cargo. Site-specific molecular delivery, the main feature of these robots, has helped to improve the workability of robots in a more controllable manner.

1. [1] S. Bahar, “Flocking, Swarming, and Communicating,” in “The Essential Tension,” The Frontiers Collection, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 127-152, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1054-9_8
2. [2] M. Rubenstein, A. Cornejo, and R. Nagpal, “Programmable self-assembly in a thousand-robot swarm,” Science, Vol.345, pp. 795-799, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1254295
3. [3] R. Vicerra, E. Dadios, A. Bandala, and L. Lim, “Swarm Robot System for Underwater Communication Network,” J. Adv. Comput. Intell. Intell. Inform., Vol.18, No.5, pp. 769-775, 2014. https://doi.org/10.20965/jaciii.2014.p0769
4. [4] M. Schranz, M. Umlauft, M. Sende, and W. Elmenreich, “Swarm Robotic Behaviors and Current Applications,” Front. Robot. AI, Vol.7, Article No.36, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2020.00036
5. [5] J. Katuri, W. E. Uspal, M. N. Popescu, and S. Sánchez, “Inferring non-equilibrium interactions from tracer response near confined active Janus particles,” Sci. Adv., Vol.7, No.18, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd0719
6. [6] P. Grančič and F. Štěpánek, “Swarming behavior of gradient-responsive colloids with chemical signaling,” J. of Physical Chemistry B., Vol.117, No.26, pp. 8031-8038, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp400234n
7. [7] B. Dai, J. Wang, Z. Xiong, X. Zhan, W. Dai, C.-C. Li, S.-P. Feng, and J. Tang, “Programmable artificial phototactic microswimmer,” Nat. Nanotechnol., Vol.11, pp. 1087-1092, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2016.187
8. [8] T. Vicsek, “Swarming microtubules,” Nature, Vol.483, pp. 411-412, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1038/483411a
9. [9] M. Akter, J. J. Keya, A. M. R. Kabir, H. Asanuma, K. Murayama, K. Sada, and A. Kakugo, “Photo-regulated trajectories of gliding microtubules conjugated with DNA,” Chem. Comm., Vol.57, pp. 7953-7956, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CC03124K
10. [10] J. J. Keya, R. Suzuki, A. M. R. Kabir, D. Inoue, H. Asanuma, K. Sada, H. Hess, A. Kuzuya, and A. Kakugo, “DNA-assisted swarm control in a biomolecular motor system,” Nat. Commun., Vol.9, Article No.453, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02778-5
11. [11] J. J. Keya, A. M. R. Kabir, D. Inoue, K. Sada, H. Hess, A. Kuzuya, and A. Kakugo, “Control of swarming of molecular robots,” Sci. Rep., Vol.8, Article No.11756, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30187-1
12. [12] M. Akter, J. J. Keya, K. Kayano, A. M. R. Kabir, D. Inoue, H. Hess, K. Sada, A. Kuzuya, H. Asanuma, and A. Kakugo, “Cooperative cargo transportation by a swarm of molecular machines,” Sci. Robot., Vol.7, Article No.eabm0677, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.abm0677
13. [13] H. Hess and G. D. Bachand, “Biomolecular motors,” Materials Today, Vol.8, No.12, pp. 22-29, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(05)71286-4
14. [14] H. Hess, “Engineering applications of biomolecular motors,” Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng., Vol.13, pp. 429-450, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-bioeng-071910-124644
15. [15] S. Hamada, “Molecular Robotics,” M. H. Ang, O. Khatib, and B. Siciliano (Eds.), “Encyclopedia of Robotics,” Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41610-1_189-1
16. [16] Y. Sato, Y. Hiratsuka, I. Kawamata, S. Murata, and S. I. M. Nomura, “Micrometer-sized molecular robot changes its shape in response to signal molecules,” Sci. Robot., Vol.2, No.4, Artcle No.ieaal3735, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aal3735
17. [17] H. Asanuma, X. Liang, H. Nishioka, D. Matsunaga, M. Liu, and M. Komiyama, “Synthesis of azobenzene-tethered DNA for reversible photo-regulation of DNA functions: hybridization and transcription,” Nat. Protoc., Vol.2, No.1, pp. 203-212, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1038/nprot.2006.465
18. [18] M. R. Rashid, C. Ganser, M. Akter, S. R. Nasrin, A. M. R. Kabir, K. Sada, T. Uchihashi, and A. Kakugo, “3D structure of ring-shaped microtubule swarms revealed by high-speed atomic force microscopy,” Chem. Lett., Vol.52, No.2, pp. 100-104, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1246/cl.220491
19. [19] S. M. Früh, D. Steuerwald, U. Simon, and V. Vogel, “Covalent cargo loading to molecular shuttles via copper-free “click chemistry”,” Biomacromolecules, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 3908-3911, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1021/bm301437c
20. [20] B. Nitzsche, F. Ruhnow, and S. Diez, “Quantum-dot-assisted characterization of microtubule rotations during cargo transport,” Nat. Nanotechnol., Vol.3, pp. 552-556, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2008.216
21. [21] C. Brunner, C. Wahnes, and V. Vogel, “Cargo pick-up from engineered loading stations by kinesin driven molecular shuttles,” Lab on a Chip, Vol.7, No.10, pp. 1263-1271, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1039/B707301A
22. [22] Y. Yang and M. A. Bevan, “Cargo capture and transport by colloidal swarms,” Sci Adv., Vol.6, No.4, Article No.eaay7679, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aay7679
23. [23] T. Yasuda and K. Ohkura, “Sharing Experience for Behavior Generation of Real Swarm Robot Systems Using Deep Reinforcement Learning,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.31, No.4, pp. 520-525, 2019. https://doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2019.p0520
24. [24] Z. Zou, Y. Liu, Y.-N. Young, O. S. Pak, and A. C. H. Tsang, “Gait switching and targeted navigation of microswimmers via deep reinforcement learning,” Commun. Phys., Vol.5, Article No.158, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-022-00935-x
25. [25] T. Lymburn, S. D. Algar, M. Small, and T. Jüngling, “Reservoir computing with swarms,” Chaos: An Interdisciplinary J. of Nonlinear Science, Vol.31, No.3, Article No.033121, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0039745