{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,7]],"date-time":"2026-07-07T23:26:23Z","timestamp":1783466783344,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":89,"publisher":"American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)","issue":"46","funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100005950","name":"Hong Kong University of Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MRBET-002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MRBET-002"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100005950","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"HKUST Startup Funding"},{"name":"Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Support Grant"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.science.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Sci. Adv."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Magnetic soft structures are highly versatile in unstructured environments, making them attractive for minimally invasive medical devices. However, this versatility also renders them susceptible to unintended deformations under fluctuating magnetic fields. The challenge is further compounded by medical imaging limitations that hinder accurate estimation of device pose and shape and by anatomical boundaries that enforce misalignment with the field. Collectively, these factors can cause uncontrolled shape change and functional failure. Here, we focus on slender magnetic soft structures to investigate their stability under misaligned fields. Our anisotropic design, achieved through flexural joints, yields ~52-fold higher bending stiffness in the preferred direction and\u00a0~18-fold higher torsional stiffness than isotropic beams. This structure serves as a building block for stable spiral tentacles, helices, planar sheets, expandable devices, cubes, and three-dimensional tessellation. We validate robustness through wormlike self-propulsion, guidewire navigation with 30-fold lower insertion force, and capsule peristaltic locomotion, advancing safer, more controllable devices.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.adz4952","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T18:58:21Z","timestamp":1763146701000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.34133\/aaas_crossmark","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Stable magnetic soft structures"],"prefix":"10.1126","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7937-1829","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hong","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."},{"name":"Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation, Beijing, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yunming","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Integrative Systems and Design, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4444-3896","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Xu","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-0701-2393","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Hongde","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Cardiac Structure and Function, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P.R. China."},{"name":"Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, #37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, P.R. China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-9772-0087","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Xi","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-6990-3741","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Zhuoqun","family":"Cao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9786-9180","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Qiang","family":"Luo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Cardiac Structure and Function, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P.R. China."},{"name":"Department of Cardiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, #37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu 610041, P.R. China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0824-1805","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ziyu","family":"Ren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3457-821X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Wenqi","family":"Hu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."},{"name":"Division of Integrative Systems and Design, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."},{"name":"Cheng Kar-Shun Robotics Institute, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"221","reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-021-03453-y"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41578-022-00450-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41563-021-01158-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature25443"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-019-1713-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-025-58091-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemrev.1c00481"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.aax7329"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.abg9907"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-55199-6"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adk4249"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.adh3073"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-44995-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adq4198"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TRO.2008.915418"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-025-09459-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.adn1207"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.abh2022"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-018-06491-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1608193113"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-41092-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.abm7834"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adm8484"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.aaw2897"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-020-16458-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.abn8932"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11071-024-10704-w"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2025.3565124"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmecsci.2024.109688"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/mi14050911"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-48058-x"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41551-025-01382-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adh2479"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adh0298"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aisy.202300267"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_37_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"An automatic magnetically robotic system using a double-loop stable control method for guidewire steering","volume":"2024","author":"Xu S.","year":"2024","unstructured":"S. Xu, B. Chen, D. Li, S. Fu, X. Wu, S. Du, T. Xu, An automatic magnetically robotic system using a double-loop stable control method for guidewire steering. IEEE ASME Trans. Mechatron. 2024, 1\u201312 (2024).","journal-title":"IEEE ASME Trans. Mechatron."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aisy.202400068"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TRO.2025.3526077"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.202005319"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.202100336"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.202312313"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_43_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.202402403"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_44_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"Bio-inspired tensegrity building block with anisotropic stiffness for soft robots","volume":"2025","author":"Zhang J.","year":"2025","unstructured":"J. Zhang, J. Shi, Y. Zhao, J. Yang, H. Rajabi, H. Peng, J. Wu, Bio-inspired tensegrity building block with anisotropic stiffness for soft robots. IEEE ASME Trans. Mechatron. 2025, 1\u201312 (2025).","journal-title":"IEEE ASME Trans. Mechatron."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_45_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TMRB.2023.3336966"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"H. Wang Y. Li B. Li \u201cA beetle-claw inspired miniature mesh climbing robot \u201d in 2022 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) (IEEE 2022) pp. 9783\u20139789.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICRA46639.2022.9812229"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_47_2","unstructured":"S. Vogel Comparative Biomechanics: Life\u2019s Physical World 2nd ed. (Princeton University Press 2013)."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_48_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.abe7906"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_49_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-54773-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_50_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-36819-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.device.2024.100646"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_52_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/marc.202400146"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_53_2","unstructured":"Confluent Medical Balloon Catheters https:\/\/confluentmedical.com\/capabilities\/balloon-catheters\/."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-023-36975-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2022.3146909"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_56_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2023.3264770"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/soro.2018.0019"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_58_2","unstructured":"Abbott Coronary Specialty Guide Wires https:\/\/cardiovascular.abbott\/int\/en\/hcp\/products\/percutaneous-coronary-intervention\/coronary-guidewires\/specialty.html."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_59_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2022.106428"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.adv1682"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_61_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-025-09049-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_62_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.adg6438"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_63_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aisy.202100247"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mechmachtheory.2007.06.002"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_65_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2025.3534691"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-024-08202-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_67_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.abo4160"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_68_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1155\/2012\/518718"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_69_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"Inchworm-like biomimetic magnetic-driven robotic shell for capsule endoscope in a tubular environment","volume":"2024","author":"Yu X.","year":"2024","unstructured":"X. Yu, J. Wang, J. Su, S. Song, Inchworm-like biomimetic magnetic-driven robotic shell for capsule endoscope in a tubular environment. IEEE ASME Trans. Mechatron. 2024, 1\u201311 (2024).","journal-title":"IEEE ASME Trans. Mechatron."},{"key":"e_1_3_2_70_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-46046-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_71_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TMECH.2009.2039942"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_72_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.abp9066"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_73_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1067\/j.cpsurg.2018.12.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_74_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/IO9.0000000000000038"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_75_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-49019-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_76_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1088\/0964-1726\/13\/3\/016"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_77_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.abf0112"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_78_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adl0307"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_79_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.ads0548"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_80_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adk4533"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_81_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-022-32059-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_82_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.abo4401"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_83_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-018-0185-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_84_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2021.3057295"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_85_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0278364910368147"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_86_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TMRB.2021.3123407"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_87_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmps.2020.104045"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_88_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jab.770060110"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_89_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mtcomm.2021.102306"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_90_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ma15093132"}],"container-title":["Science Advances"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1126\/sciadv.adz4952","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T18:59:30Z","timestamp":1763146770000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adz4952"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]},"references-count":89,"journal-issue":{"issue":"46","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1126\/sciadv.adz4952"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.adz4952","relation":{},"ISSN":["2375-2548"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2375-2548","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-06-08","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-10-14","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-11-14","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"eadz4952"}}