Manipulation and targeted navigation of nanobots in complex biological conditions can be achieved by chemical reactions, by applying external forces, and via motile cells. Several studies have applied fuel-based and fuel-free propulsion mechanisms for nanobots movements in environmental sciences and robotics. However, their applications in biomedical sciences are still in the budding phase. Therefore, the current review introduces the fundamentals of different propulsion strategies based on the advantageous features of applied nanomaterials or cellular components. Furthermore, the recent developments reported in various literatures on next-generation nanobots, such as Xenobots with applications of in-vitro and in-vivo drug delivery and imaging were also explored in detail. The challenges and the future prospects are also highlighted with corresponding advantages and limitations of nanobots in biomedical applications. This review concludes that with ever booming research enthusiasm in this field and increasing multidisciplinary cooperation, micro−/nanorobots with intelligence and multifunctions will emerge in the near future, which would have a profound impact on the treatment of diseases.

纳米机器人在复杂生物条件下的操纵和定向导航可以通过化学反应、施加外力和运动细胞来实现。一些研究已经将基于燃料和无燃料的推进机制应用于环境科学和机器人技术中的纳米机器人运动。然而，它们在生物医学科学中的应用仍处于萌芽阶段。因此，目前的综述介绍了基于应用纳米材料或细胞成分的有利特征的不同推进策略的基本原理。此外，各种文献中报道了有关下一代纳米机器人的最新进展，例如具有体外和体内应用的 Xenobots还详细探讨了药物输送和成像。纳米机器人在生物医学应用中的相应优势和局限性也突出了挑战和未来前景。本综述认为，随着该领域研究热情的不断高涨和多学科合作的日益深入，具有智能和多功能的微纳米机器人将在不久的将来出现，这将对疾病的治疗产生深远的影响。