Will 'robot sperm' be used to treat infertility in the future?

Dutch scientists are developing magnetically coated "robotic sperm" technology that can navigate precisely inside the female body, opening up new prospects in infertility treatment and improving reproductive health in the future.

Microscopic "robotic sperm" technology promises to open a new era in infertility treatment, infertility diagnosis and precise drug delivery to the female reproductive system - Photo: AI

Scientists at the University of Twente (Netherlands) have just published a remarkable study when they created "robot sperm", bull sperm cells covered with a layer of tiny magnetic particles, helping to control them with a magnetic field and accurately track their path in real time.

Although it has not been tested on a living organism, the team successfully controlled the robotic sperm to move inside a life-sized 3D anatomical model of the female reproductive system and observed the entire process using X-ray images.

The work was published in the journal npj Robotics in early September 2025 and is expected to change infertility treatment methods, support infertility diagnosis, and even improve in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques.

According to the team of scientists, these robot sperm are coated with iron oxide nanoparticles, which make them able to respond to external magnetic fields. By changing the strength and direction of the magnetic field, the researchers can control the sperm to move precisely from the simulated cervix, through the uterine cavity and towards the fallopian tube, where natural fertilization usually occurs.

In particular, the magnetic coating helps the robot sperm appear clearly on X-ray images, something that was previously nearly impossible with natural sperm.

Robotic sperm could become a new medical tool, allowing the delivery of drugs directly to hard-to-reach areas of the female reproductive system such as the uterus, fallopian tubes or areas damaged by disease.

This is especially useful in treating conditions that have a major impact on fertility, including uterine cancer, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids.

With its targeted mechanism, this technology promises to optimize treatment efficacy, minimize side effects, and open up the prospect of personalized treatment in the future.

Directly tracking the path of the robot sperm helps scientists have a more accurate view of the mechanism of sperm transport inside the female reproductive system, thereby understanding the causes of many unexplained cases of infertility.

In addition, controlling robotic sperm could also help improve in vitro fertilization (IVF), a method that is helping tens of thousands of babies be born each year.

The study results also showed that the robot sperm was not toxic to human uterine cells even after 72 hours of continuous exposure, which opens up the possibility of safe application in the future.

However, experts emphasize that this technology is still in the early testing stage, requiring more research before conducting clinical trials on humans.

"We are turning sperm cells, the body's natural transport system, into programmable microrobots, opening the door to more precise and efficient reproductive medicine," said Professor Islam Khalil, lead author of the study.

MINH HAI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tinh-trung-robot-se-duoc-dung-de-dieu-tri-vo-sinh-trong-tuong-lai-20250910181805335.htm