A workforce of College of Waterloo researchers has created good, superior supplies that would be the constructing blocks for a future technology of soppy medical microrobots.
These tiny robots have the potential to conduct medical procedures, corresponding to biopsy, and cell and tissue transport, in a minimally invasive style. They will transfer via confined and flooded environments, just like the human physique, and ship delicate and lightweight cargo, corresponding to cells or tissues, to a goal place.
The tiny tender robots are a most of 1 centimeter lengthy and are bio-compatible and non-toxic. The robots are made from superior hydrogel composites that embrace sustainable cellulose nanoparticles derived from vegetation.
This analysis, led by Hamed Shahsavan, a professor within the Division of Chemical Engineering, portrays a holistic method to the design, synthesis, fabrication, and manipulation of microrobots. The hydrogel used on this work modifications its form when uncovered to exterior chemical stimulation. The power to orient cellulose nanoparticles at will allows researchers to program such shape-change, which is essential for the fabrication of practical tender robots.
In my analysis group, we’re bridging the outdated and new. We introduce rising microrobots by leveraging conventional tender matter like hydrogels, liquid crystals, and colloids.”
Shahsavan, Director, Sensible Supplies for Superior Robotic Applied sciences (SMART-Lab)
The opposite distinctive element of this superior good materials is that it’s self-healing, which permits for programming a variety within the form of the robots. Researchers can minimize the fabric and paste it again collectively with out utilizing glue or different adhesives to type completely different shapes for various procedures.
The fabric could be additional modified with a magnetism that facilitates the motion of soppy robots via the human physique. As proof of idea of how the robotic would maneuver via the physique, the tiny robotic was moved via a maze by researchers controlling its motion utilizing a magnetic discipline.
“Chemical engineers play a vital function in pushing the frontiers of medical microrobotics analysis,” Shahsavan mentioned. “Apparently, tackling the numerous grand challenges in microrobotics requires the skillset and data chemical engineers possess, together with warmth and mass switch, fluid mechanics, response engineering, polymers, tender matter science, and biochemical programs. So, we’re uniquely positioned to introduce revolutionary avenues on this rising discipline”.
The following step on this analysis is to scale the robotic all the way down to submillimeter scales.
Shahsavan’s analysis group collaborated with Waterloo’s Tizazu Mekonnen, a professor from the Division of Chemical Engineering, Professor Shirley Tang, Affiliate Dean of Science (Analysis), and Amirreza Aghakhani, a professor from the College of Stuttgart in Germany. They revealed their outcomes final month in Nature Communications.
Professor Hamed Shahsavan designs good programmable tender robots
Picture Credit score: College of Waterloo