They have created an army of magnetic ant-robots capable of lifting 2,000 times their weight, guiding organisms, or floating on water.

In a Seoul laboratory, something extraordinary has happened on a microscopic scale. A swarm of tiny, cubic-shaped robots—each smaller than the head of a pin—joins together with surgical precision to move objects hundreds of times larger than themselves. At first glance, it might seem like science fiction. But it isn't.

(If you click on the image you can see the full video of how they work)

Like an invisible army, the swarm is capable of pulling objects 350 times heavier than a single robot. They can form rafts on water to transport capsules 2,000 times heavier, climb obstacles five times taller than themselves, and even clear simulated blocked arteries. They can also self-climb, propel themselves, and guide organisms. "Their adaptability and level of coordination were higher than we expected," Jeon Jae Wi, lead author of the study, explained to the media.

Scientists at Hanyang University in South Korea have developed a swarm of magnetic microrobots capable of moving and manipulating objects in a coordinated manner , mimicking collective behaviors found in nature. They do this without cables, batteries, or direct physical contact between them. Thestudy , published in 'Device', details that it is inspired by how ants can search for food through chemical communication using pheromone trails and transport food through autonomous cooperation.

The robots are just 600 micrometers tall—smaller than a breadcrumb—and are made of epoxy and neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnetic particles . When exposed to a rotating magnetic field generated by two external magnets, they come to life.

"We saw the swarm form flexible structures capable of surrounding objects, dividing, regrouping, and even hovering. It's a highly efficient collective behavior, something we've only seen in biological systems until now."

The team's long-term vision is ambitious: to use these swarms for minimally invasive medical treatments, such as delivering drugs into clogged arteries or inaccessible areas of the human body.

But obstacles remain. Today, microrobots rely entirely on an external magnetic field to move. They have no sensors or the ability to make autonomous decisions. They are obedient, but blind. Therefore, the project's next steps will focus on increasing their autonomy: allowing them to perceive their surroundings, react in real time, and adjust their trajectories without human intervention.

Swarm robotics has been an experimental field for years, with previous studies focusing on spherical robots that connect to each other. But Hanyang's cubic approach offers a larger magnetic attraction surface and a more economical method of mass manufacturing, thanks to standardized molds and in-situ magnetization.

Each robot can change its magnetic pattern based on the angle of magnetization, allowing for variable configurations and adaptive functions . This means the same swarm can move across land, water, or adhere to curved surfaces as needed.

Although they may seem like futuristic toys, swarms of microrobots are pointing toward a new technological paradigm: decentralized, collaborative systems that are almost invisible to the human eye. Their potential extends from precision medicine to the cleaning of industrial systems, including the transport of biological samples in extreme environments.

Like the ants that inspired them, their strength lies not in their size, but in their perfect cooperation. And while they may need an outside guide for now, the day they decide to strike out on their own may not be so far off.