Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41588071›Full record

ArticleNature biomedical engineering2026

A filamentary soft robotic probe for multimodal in utero monitoring of fetal health.

Hedan Bai, Jianlin Zhou, Mingzheng Wu, Steven Papastefan, Xiuyuan Li, Haohui Zhang, Kaiyu Zhao, Zhuoran Zhang, Wei Ouyang, Catherine R Redden and 17 more

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature biomedical engineering, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

27 authors.

Hedan Bai *Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. hedan.bai@mat.ethz.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3332-7387
Jianlin Zhou *Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2633-8926
Mingzheng Wu *Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4415-6296
Steven Papastefan *The Chicago Institute for Fetal Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Xiuyuan Li *Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Haohui ZhangDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8432-3672
Kaiyu ZhaoQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-3274-0080
Zhuoran ZhangQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Wei OuyangQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4279-661X
Catherine R ReddenThe Chicago Institute for Fetal Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Amir M AlhajjatThe Chicago Institute for Fetal Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Heyang WangQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-9971-5626
Yibo ZhouQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-7689-6604
Kenneth MadsenQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1336-567X
Shuo LiQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Andrew I EfimovQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Katelyn MaQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Lisa KovacsQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Sahdev PatelQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Daniel R LiesmanThe Chicago Institute for Fetal Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Katherine C OttThe Chicago Institute for Fetal Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Rinaldo GarzieraDepartment of Systems Engineering and Industrial Technologies, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
Steffen SammetDepartment of Radiology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6564-9132
Wenming ZhangState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6743-1006
Yonggang HuangQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. y-huang@northwestern.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0483-8359
Aimen F ShaabanThe Chicago Institute for Fetal Health, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. ashaaban@luriechildrens.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9459-107X
John A RogersQuerrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. jrogers@northwestern.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2980-3961

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Fetal surgery offers valuable opportunities to address severe congenital disabilities, yet accurate evaluation of fetal physiological changes during in utero procedures to mitigate the risk of operative complications remains an unmet need. Conventional unimodal approaches lack predictive value, specificity and compatibility with minimally invasive interventions. Here we present a bioelectronic system featuring a multimodal, steerable filamentary probe that interfaces directly with the fetus in utero, enabling reliable and minimally invasive monitoring of various physiological parameters. Integrated soft robotic actuators ensure consistent contact through controlled navigation and force delivery, creating a gentle and secure interface with delicate fetal surfaces. In a sheep fetal surgery model, the multifunctional probe effectively monitored in utero conditions during fetoscopic surgeries, detecting fetal bradycardia, hypoxia and hypothermia, potentially informing for early intervention. Experimental results on rodents and large animal fetuses demonstrate potential for direct translation to human use. This system offers continuous, comprehensive fetal monitoring, addressing gaps in current clinical practices, and provides real-time insights during fetal surgeries.

Identifiers

PMID41588071

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.