Navigating the future of assisted reproductive technology with micro-robotics, nanobiosensors and artificial intelligence

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CommentPublished: 29 December 2025Friedrich Striggow  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4401-395X1,Pallavi Jha1,2,Ripla Arora  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5051-67243,4 &…Mariana Medina-Sánchez  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6149-37321,5,6 Nature Nanotechnology (2025)Cite this articleSubjectsBiotechnologyNanobiotechnologyTechnological developments in reproductive medicine, driven by the convergence of micro-robotics and nanosensors, along with decision-making aided by artificial intelligence, are enabling precise manipulation, gamete selection, embryo assessment and personalized treatment. These disruptive advances could lead to fully automated in vitro fertilization workflows. However, clinical implementation will need to address various technical, biological and ethical challenges to ensure safer and more effective fertility solutions.This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institutionAccess optionsAccess Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journalsGet Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription27,99 € / 30 dayscancel any timeLearn moreSubscribe to this journalReceive 12 print issues and online access269,00 € per yearonly 22,42 € per issueLearn moreBuy this articlePurchase on SpringerLinkInstant access to the full article PDF.39,95 €Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkoutFig. 1: Implementation of novel technologies in ART.ReferencesInfertility Prevalence Estimates, 1990–2021. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978920068315 (2023).Kupka, M. S. et al. Fertil. Steril. 122, 875–893 (2024).Article  PubMed  Google Scholar European IVF Monitoring Consortium (EIM) for the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) et al. Hum. Reprod. 38, 2321–2338 (2023).Shan, G. et al. IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 70, 1921–1930 (2023).Article  PubMed  Google Scholar Shan, G. et al. IEEE/ASME Trans. Mechatron. 28, 1372–1383 (2023).Article  Google Scholar Costa-Borges, N. et al. Reprod. Biomed. Online 47, 103237 (2023).Article  PubMed  Google Scholar García-Vázquez, F. A. et al. Adv. Sci. 11, 2306901 (2024).Article  Google Scholar Schwarz, L. et al. Adv. Sci. 7, 2000843 (2020).Article  CAS  Google Scholar Parra, A. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 121, e2315043121 (2024).Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar Reyes-San-Martin, C. et al. ACS Nano 16, 10701–10710 (2022).Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar Medina-Sánchez, M., Schwarz, L., Meyer, A. K., Hebenstreit, F. & Schmidt, O. G. Nano Lett. 16, 555–561 (2016).Article  PubMed  Google Scholar Salehi, A. et al. Adv. Intell. Syst. 7, 2400458 (2024).Article  Google Scholar Striggow, F. et al. Small 20, e2310288 (2024).Article  PubMed  Google Scholar Gutierrez, N. M. et al. Nat. Commun. 16, 8340 (2025).Article  Google Scholar Nauber, R. et al. Nat. Commun. 14, 728 (2023).Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar Download referencesAuthor informationAuthors and AffiliationsCIC nanoGUNE, San Sebastián, SpainFriedrich Striggow, Pallavi Jha & Mariana Medina-SánchezChair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, TU Dresden, Dresden, GermanyPallavi JhaInstitute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USARipla AroraDepartment of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USARipla AroraIKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, SpainMariana Medina-SánchezChair of Micro- and Nano Biosystems, Center for Molecular Bioengineering (B CUBE), Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, GermanyMariana Medina-SánchezAuthorsFriedrich StriggowView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarPallavi JhaView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarRipla AroraView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarMariana Medina-SánchezView author publicationsSearch author on:PubMed Google ScholarCorresponding authorCorrespondence to Mariana Medina-Sánchez.Ethics declarationsCompeting interestsThe authors declare no competing interests.Rights and permissionsReprints and permissionsAbout this article