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

微型机器人在生物医学和先进制造等各种应用中有许多潜在的应用。 虽然目前的微型机器人可以使用外部施加的磁场进行导航，但它们缺乏感知和操纵能力，这限制了它们的能力。 特别是，微力信息是必不可少的安全生物操纵，传感生物过程，并在先进的制造应用中执行微组装任务。 此外，能够感知细胞电位和连接的移动的微型机器人将能够表征和研究治疗策略，帮助治疗各种癌症。 作为计划外展活动的一部分，研究人员将与聋人儿童代码开发STEM外展计划，以帮助聋人/重听K-12学生。为此，该项目将创建一种新型的光响应聚合物磁性微型机器人（LRPMM），具有主动末端效应器和双模传感能力。 嵌入式磁性体将能够使用外部磁场来控制微型机器人在工作空间中导航。 主动末端效应器将由响应聚合物制成，并由结构光图案驱动。聚合物结构将被校准，以便应用基于视觉的力传感技术。此外，电致变色特性将嵌入到聚合物中，以通过它们的颜色变化来检测环境中的电势水平。拟议的研究任务包括LRPMMs的设计和制造;结构光驱动、传感和跟踪的光学系统开发;以及控制和实验验证。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.