RI: Medium: Light Responsive Polymer Magnetic Microrobots with Dual Mode Sensing for Biomedical and Advanced Manufacturing Applications

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Microrobots have many potential applications in applications as diverse as biomedical and advanced manufacturing. While current microrobots can navigate using externally applied magnetic fields, their lack of sensing and manipulation limit their capabilities. In particular, micro-force information is essential for safe biomanipulation, sensing biological processes, and performing microassembly tasks in advanced manufacturing applications. In addition, mobile microrobots that can sense electrical potentials and connections of cells will enable the characterization and study of therapeutic strategies, assisting in the treatment of various cancers. As part of the planned outreach activities, researchers will develop STEM outreach programs with Deaf Kids CODE to help empower deaf/hard of hearing K-12 students.To this end, the project will create a new class of light responsive polymer magnetic microrobots (LRPMMs) with active end-effectors and dual-mode sensing capabilities. An embedded magnetic body will enable the use of external magnetic fields to control microrobots to navigate in the workspace. The active end-effectors will be made from responsive polymers and actuated by structured light patterns. The polymer structures will be calibrated so vision-based force-sensing techniques can be applied. Additionally, electrochromic properties will be embedded into the polymers to enable detection of electrical potential levels in the environment through their change in color. The proposed research tasks include the design and fabrication of the LRPMMs; optical system development for structured light actuation, sensing, and tracking; and control and experimental validation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.