Core Viewpoint - A groundbreaking study from a Chinese team has developed a programmable "living" gel robot, resembling the alien creature "Calvin" from the sci-fi movie "Life," aimed at healing rather than destruction [1][3]. Group 1: Technology and Design - The Hydrogel Immune Millirobot (HIM) is a soft hydrogel robot capable of multi-modal movement, including walking, rolling, crawling, and waving, designed to target and eliminate tumors within the human body [3][5]. - HIM operates under magnetic fields, transforming from a passive gel into an active robot, with a Young's modulus of only 808.5 Pa, allowing for significant flexibility and movement [3][5]. - The robot's design allows for precise spatial targeting and localized drug delivery, overcoming challenges faced by traditional drug delivery methods such as intravenous injections [5][9]. Group 2: Mechanism and Functionality - HIM can navigate complex biological environments, such as the gastrointestinal tract, and deliver therapeutic payloads directly to hard-to-reach tumor sites, enhancing treatment efficacy [5][6]. - The robot's unique ability to respond to environmental pH changes enables it to "embrace" tumors, maximizing the effectiveness of the immune cells it carries [8][9]. - After completing its task, HIM dissolves in a sodium ion solution, eliminating the need for surgical removal and associated risks [9][12]. Group 3: Clinical Potential and Future Directions - Animal studies have shown that HIM significantly inhibits tumor growth in liver cancer models, demonstrating its therapeutic potential [12]. - Future developments will focus on integrating advanced imaging technologies and control algorithms for real-time tracking and operation within living organisms [12][15]. - HIM's modular design allows for the adaptation to various therapeutic scenarios, including the delivery of stem cells, engineered bacteria, and mRNA for gene therapy [12][15].