Micornauts

Micornauts are conceptual micro-scale explorers capable of autonomous or remotely controlled operation at scales from roughly tens of micrometers to a few millimeters, designed to navigate confined microenvironments such as capillaries, tissue matrices, or microfluidic channels. The term is largely used in science fiction, speculative design, and discussions of future nanotechnology, rather than as a widely adopted term in current professional literature.

Design and propulsion often involves miniature actuators powered by external fields (magnetic, acoustic, or optical), chemical reactions, or onboard energy harvesting. Some concepts envision magnetic or acoustic steering with external fields and limited onboard sensing. Navigation relies on a combination of external guidance, onboard sensing like chemical or optical cues, and swarm coordination for complex tasks.

Sensing and communication are typically limited at micro scales; researchers emphasize external tracking, wireless telemetry, and short-range data links. Power sources remain a key challenge; many models assume tethered power, energy harvesting, or ultra-low-power operation.

Potential applications are primarily speculative. In fiction, micornauts are depicted investigating cellular interiors, diagnosing micro-damage, delivering therapeutics, or assembling structures at small scales. In real-world research, related work focuses on micro- and nano-robots, micromechanical systems, and swarm robotics to perform precise manipulation, sensing, or targeted delivery in constrained spaces, with safety, biocompatibility, and regulatory considerations guiding progress.

See also: nanorobotics, microrobotics, swarm robotics, microelectromechanical systems.