Microscale Swimming Medibot in Human Body Propelled by Oscillating Bubbles

本研究的目标是开发一种20~150 μ m的微型医疗机器人（Medibot）。Ým大小，可以在人体内游泳。该方法是利用最近发现的在振荡微泡中发生的推进现象。智力优势：拟议的研究将产生对推进物理和机制的理解和知识，开发系统级medibot设备，并将该设备应用于模型应用。额外的智力优势是：(i)微气泡在人体内的使用已被临床证明，因为微气泡目前被注射到血管中并用作超声造影剂；（ii）植入体内的医疗机器人可以通过现有的超声成像系统轻松推进和定位；（iii） Medibots是无线供电的，不需要任何物理布线；推进系统非常简单，使得设备制造更加容易。更广泛的影响：拟议中的medibot可用于在低速血管和静止的充满液体的区域中导航，提供直接进入人体极其难以到达的部位的通道，这是目前使用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、生物传感和生物外科方面开辟了新的领域。本研究亦将透过重新设计本科生与研究生的跨学科课程，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项目成果；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.