IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering
·
2021
·Vol. 19
·期 2
·759-771
·
IF 5.083
Qianqian Wang,Lidong Yang,Li Zhang
A dynamic self-assembly is a promising approach for inducing the collective behavior of agents to perform coordinated tasks at small scales. However, efficient pattern formation and navigation in environments with complex conditions remain a challenge. In this article, we propose a strategy for micromanipulation using dynamically self-assembled magnetic droplets with needle guidance. An iron needle was controlled by a three-degree-of-freedom (3-DoF) manipulator and magnetized by precessing magnetic fields. The process of self-assembly was optimized based on real-time vision feedback and a genetic algorithm. Affected by the locally induced field gradient near the needle, reconfigurable assembled magnetic droplets were formed beneath the air-liquid interface with high time efficiency, and the geometric center of the pattern was determined. Following the magnetized needle, assembled patterns were navigated along preplanned paths and exhibited reversible pattern expansion and shrinkage. Moreover, cargo can be trapped and caged by exploiting the induced fluid flow around the assembled droplets. To perform cargo transportation tasks in a multiple-obstacle environment, an optimal path planner with obstacle-avoidance capability was designed based on the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Experiments demonstrated effective pattern formation, navigation, cargo trapping, and obstacle-avoidance transportation. The proposed method opens new prospects of using a dynamically self-assembled pattern as an untethered end-effector for micromanipulation.
Note to Practitioners
—This article was motivated by the recent interest in utilizing the collective behavior of small-scale active agents to perform micromanipulation tasks. Driven by external magnetic fields, building blocks are gathered and assembled, yielding a dynamically stable pattern. To perform practical tasks, efficient pattern formation, control, and navigation are required. Besides, obstacles often exist in the working environment, challenging pattern navigation, and manipulation tasks. The strategy presented here is developed for micromanipulation using dynamically self-assembled magnetic droplets with needle guidance. The three-axis Helmholtz coil system is applied to rotate the droplets and magnetize the iron needle. Algorithms are designed to guide and optimize the pattern formation, navigation, and cargo trapping process. Magnetic droplets are real-time tracked, and ordered assembled patterns are formed in an optimized way. Following the needle, the pattern was navigated and performed cargo manipulation tasks with obstacle-avoidance capability. Experimental results have validated the proposed strategy in pattern formation, navigation, and cargo manipulation in a multiple-obstacle environment.
研究领域:
微机器人学
·
生物医学工程
·
材料科学
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
Microsystems & Nanoengineering
·
2024
·Vol. 10
·期 1
·1-14
·
IF 7.3
Qin Xianming,Liu Xianglian,Liu Shuo,Zhang Chuanyu,Bai Ningning,Li Xue,Wang Weidong,Liu Dan,Yang Qiqi,Yang Ruiguo,Shen Yajing,Wei Xueyong
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) tweezers are a promising multifunctional micromanipulation method that controls microscale targets via patterned acoustic fields. Owing to their device structure and bonding process, most SAW tweezers have limitations in terms of controlling the position and motion of the acoustic traps, as they generate an acoustic field with a fixed region and adjust the manipulation effects via signal modulation. To address this challenge, we propose movable SAW tweezers with a multilayer structure, achieving dynamic control of their wave field and acoustic trap positions; we demonstrate their precise manipulation functions, such as translation, in-plane rotation, out-of-plane rotation, and cluster formation, on a wide spectrum of samples, including particles, bubbles, droplets, cells, and microorganisms. Our method not only improves the degree of freedom and working range of SAW tweezers but also allows for precise and selective manipulation of microtargets via microtools and localized wavefields. Owing to their flexibility, versatility, and biocompatibility, the movable SAW tweezers can be a practical platform for achieving arbitrary manipulation of microscale targets and have the potential to play significant roles in biomedical microrobotics.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
·
微纳米技术
·
细胞生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
·
2022
·Vol. 23
·期 17
·9609
·
IF 6.208
Zhen Wang,Dongni Shi,Xiaowen Wang,Yibao Chen,Zheng Yuan,Yan Li,Zhixing Ge,Wenguang Yang
The locomotor behavior of creatures in nature can bring a lot of inspiration for the fabrication of soft actuators. In this paper, we fabricated a bionic light-driven swimming soft robot that can perform grasping of tiny objects and achieve the task of object transfer. By adding carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the temperature-sensitive hydrogels can be endowed with light-responsive properties. The fabricated composite hydrogel structure can control the contraction and expansion of volume by light, which is similar to the contraction and diastole behavior of muscles. The oscillation of the fish tail and the grasping action of the normally closed micromanipulator can be achieved by the control of the irradiation of the xenon light source. The bending of the bionic arm can be controlled by the irradiation of a near-infrared (NIR) laser, which transforms the spatial position and posture of the micromanipulator. The proposed scheme is feasible for miniaturized fabrication and application of flexible actuators. This work provides some important insights for the study of light-driven microrobots and light-driven flexible actuators.Keywords:bionic swimming soft robot;micromanipulator;light-driven;flexible actuator;light-responsive hydrogel;DMD;poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM)
研究领域:
材料科学
·
生物仿生学
·
机器人学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
·
2020
·
IF 0.936
Wen-Nan FENG,Jin HE,Si-Ying LI,Dan YANG,Hong-Na LI,Guo-Cheng YANG,Qiang FU,Yu-Ping SHAN
In recent years, exosomes as the intercellular vehicles have received extensive attention for their fundamental roles in biosystem and as novel biomarkers for early detection and therapeutic applications. It has been demonstrated that anti-CD63 can effectively target exosomes from cancer cells. In this work, multifunctional nanoelectrode-nanopore nanopipettes (MNNPs) were prepared to detect exosomes secreted from human cervical cancer cells (HeLa cells) at the single-entity level using the nanopore- based resistive pulse sensing technique. Synthetic liposomes were also measured for comparison. By modifying the anti-CD63 on the carbon nanoelectrode surface near the nanopore, the detected current signals were very different from the signals from the non-modified MNNPs. The differences were induced by the specific interactions between anti-CD63 and the membrane protein CD63 at the surface of exosomes. No obvious differences were observed when liposomes were tested. Furthermore, by utilizing micromanipulation technology, the position of the nanopipette tip could be accurately located, which enabled monitoring the secretion of exosomes from individual cells in a real-time manner. In the control experiment, the probe-to-cell distance was optimized and the HeLa cells incubated with exosomes inhibitor (GW4869) were tested by MNNPs. These significantly reduced translocation signals proved that anti-CD63 modified MNNPs were competent for exosomes detection in complex cellular environments.
研究领域:
生物学
·
纳米技术
·
癌症研究
·
生物医学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
·
2023
·
IF 9.5
Fu Zhao,Weibin Rong,Lefeng Wang,Lining Sun
Faced with complex and diverse tasks, researchers seek to introduce stimuli-responsive materials into the field of microrobots. Magnetic helical microrobots based on shape-memory polymers demonstrate excellent locomotion capability and programmable shape transformations. However, the stimulation method of shape changes is still dependent on the rising of ambient temperature and lacks the ability to address individuals among multiple microrobots. In this paper, magnetic helical microrobots were prepared based on polylactic acid and Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which demonstrated controlled locomotion under rotating magnetic fields and programmable shape changes in their length, diameter, and chirality. The transition temperature of shape recoveries was adjusted to a range above 37 °C. At 46 °C, helical microrobots had a fast shape change with a recovery ratio of 72% in a minute. The photothermal effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticles under near-infrared laser can actuate the shape recovery rapidly, with a recovery ratio of 77% in 15 s and 90% in a minute. The stimulation strategy also allows addressing among multiple microrobots, or even within a single microrobot, selectively stimulating one or a part to change its shape. Combined with the magnetic field, laser-addressed shape changes were used for precise deployment and individual control of microrobots. Multiple microrobots can be enriched at the targeted point, heating the ambient temperature over 46 °C. The shape changes of internal parts of microrobots help them to grasp and assemble objects. Such microrobots have great potential in biomedicine and micromanipulation.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
机器人技术
·
生物医学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ACS Nano
·
2022
·
IF 18.027
Shipei Zhu,Ganhua Xie,Huanqing Cui,Qingchuan Li,Joe Forth,Shuai Yuan,Jingxuan Tian,Yi Pan,Wei Guo,Yu Chai,Yage Zhang,Zhenyu Yang,Ryan Wing Hei Yu,Yafeng Yu,Sihan Liu,Youchuang Chao,Yinan Shen,Sai Zhao,Thomas P Russell,Ho Cheung Shum
Soft robots, made from elastomers, easily bend and flex, but deformability constraints severely limit navigation through and within narrow, confined spaces. Using aqueous two-phase systems we print water-in-water constructs that, by aqueous phase-separation-induced self-assembly, produce ultrasoft liquid robots, termed aquabots, comprised of hierarchical structures that span in length scale from the nanoscopic to microsciopic, that are beyond the resolution limits of printing and overcome the deformability barrier. The exterior of the compartmentalized membranes is easily functionalized, for example, by binding enzymes, catalytic nanoparticles, and magnetic nanoparticles that impart sensitive magnetic responsiveness. These ultrasoft aquabots can adapt their shape for gripping and transporting objects and can be used for targeted photocatalysis, delivery, and release in confined and tortuous spaces. These biocompatible, multicompartmental, and multifunctional aquabots can be readily applied to medical micromanipulation, targeted cargo delivery, tissue engineering, and biomimetics.
研究领域:
机器人技术
·
材料科学
·
生物医学工程
·
纳米技术
·
化学工程
·
生物技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）