A narrative review of spermbots in assisted reproduction: Integrating AI for enhanced fertility outcomes and future innovations

Abstract

Sperm-structure-integrating nanodecorated microrobots have shown promise in medicine delivery and infertility treatment. A variety of spermbots use cutting-edge nanomaterials and 3D printing technology to enhance their functioning, such as biomimetic sperms and flagellate microorganisms. The success rates of assisted reproductive technology techniques like in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may increase as a result of these developments. Furthermore, the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into spermbots has the potential to optimize reproductive therapies by reducing inherited illnesses through genetic screening and editing. However, before the widespread implementation of spermbots in clinical practice, several critical aspects must be addressed. Thorough investigations into biocompatibility, ethical considerations, and long-term safety are necessary to ensure that these technologies are safe and effective for in vivo applications.

Keywords

Spermbots / Micro robotics / Artificial intelligence (AI) / Assisted reproductive technology (ART) / Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) / Male infertility

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Funding

The study received no extramural funding

Authors’ contributions

Neeraj Vishwakarma contributed to the conception or design of the work, drafting of the work, approval of the final version of the manuscript, and agreed on all aspects of the work. Nancy Nair contributed to the literature review, revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content, approval of the final version of the manuscript, and agreed to all aspects of the work. Charu Pareek contributed to the literature review, revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content, offering a lot of feedback and revision to make it rich in intellectual content, approval of the final version of the manuscript, and agreed to all aspects of the work. Namrata Choudhary made significant contributions by offering the literature review and revising the manuscript, providing substantial feedback that enriched its intellectual depth.

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