Microscale Swimming Medibot in Human Body Propelled by Oscillating Bubbles

振动气泡驱动的微型人体游动医疗机器人本研究的目的是研制一种20~150 μ m的微型医疗机器人。它的体积只有100厘米，可以在人体内游动。该方法是利用最近发现的推进现象发生在振荡microbubbles.Intellectual优点：拟议的研究将产生的理解和推进物理和机制的知识，开发一个系统级medibot设备，并将该设备应用到模型应用程序。另外的智力优点是：（i）在人体内使用微泡在临床上得到证实，因为微泡目前被注射到血管中并用作超声造影剂;（ii）体内的种子医疗机器人可以通过现有的超声成像系统容易地推进和定位;（iii）医疗机器人无线供电，不需要任何物理布线;（iv）推进系统非常简单，使装置的制造容易得多。所提出的医疗机器人可用于导航通过低速血管和静止的充满液体的区域，提供了直接进入人体内极难到达的部位的途径，这是通过使用当前现有的介入机器人无法实现的。这种能力对各种潜在的生物医学应用产生了巨大的影响，可能在药物输送，生物传感和生物手术方面开辟新的视野。这项研究还将通过为本科生和研究生重新设计跨学科课程对教育产生重大影响;让研究生和本科生参与研究，特别是来自代表性不足的群体;在当地K-12学校或社区博物馆展示该项目的成果;并改善跨学科微观科学/工程培训的基础设施。

Microscale Swimming Medibot in Human Body Propelled by Oscillating BubblesThe objective of this research is to develop a microscale medibot (medical robot) of 20~150 ?Ým in size, which can swim inside the human body. The approach is to utilize the recently discovered propelling phenomena occurring in oscillating microbubbles.Intellectual Merit: The proposed research will generate an understanding and knowledge of propulsion physics and mechanisms, develop a system-level medibot device, and apply the device to a model application. Additional intellectual merits are: (i) The use of microbubbles inside the human body is clinically proven as microbubbles are currently injected into the blood vessels and used as ultrasound contrast agents; (ii) Seeded medibots in the body can be easily propelled and located by existing ultrasound imaging systems; (iii) Medibots are powered wirelessly, not requiring any physical wiring; and (iv) The propulsion system is very simple, making device fabrication much easier.Broader Impact: The proposed medibot can be used for navigating through low-speed blood vessels and quiescent fluid-filled regions, providing direct access to extremely hard-to-reach spots in the human body that would not be realized by using currently existing interventional robots. This capability has tremendous impact on various potential biomedical applications, possibly opening a new horizon in drug delivery, bio-sensing, and bio-surgery. This research will also have significant impact on education by re-engineering interdisciplinary coursework for both undergraduates and graduates; having graduates and undergraduates involved in research especially from the underrepresented groups; demonstrating results from this project in local K-12 schools or community museums; and improving infrastructure for training in interdisciplinary micro-science/engineering.