Collaborative Research: Integrated Swimming Microrobots for Intravascular Neuromodulation

通过血管对神经系统进行电刺激是一种新兴的技术，可以缓解许多慢性疾病，包括瘫痪、关节炎、帕金森病、肥胖等，而不需要进行大手术。这项技术仍处于起步阶段，使用的是连接在外部设备上的刺激电极，这限制了对大脑和脊髓的深入接触。相反，微型机器人，不依附于外部设备，通过远程引导和无线电源在血管中游泳，可以轻松进入人体难以到达的区域，并进行刺激或输送药物。该奖项旨在研究利用声波在血管中移动微型机器人的可行性。特别是，该奖项将模拟利用声波来移动微型机器人、输送药物和收集能量的机制。如果可行，这些微型机器人将运送药物，并允许对身体深处的神经元进行无线电刺激。具有这些功能的微型机器人最终将使数百万患有上运动神经元损伤或帕金森、抑郁症、癫痫等脑部疾病的人受益，而不需要进行昂贵的手术，从而最大限度地降低了因突出的电线而感染的风险。拟议的研究计划还包括在当地博物馆和天文馆的外展活动。该项目将设计并验证具有游泳、远程给药和神经调节能力的微型机器人，以实现这一目标。该奖项的第一个目标是研究目前未知的声学机制，利用封装的气泡使微型机器人在流体中推进，远程释放药物，并收集能量。第二个目标是创建数据驱动的模型，以捕获移动和刺激电流的声学机制。进一步的数据驱动控制器将被派生出来，使微型机器人能够达到预期的目标。最后，在第三个目标中，微型机器人游向目标和血管内神经调节的能力将在更大的动物模型中得到验证。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

Electrical stimulation of nervous systems via blood vessels is an emerging technique to relieve many chronic conditions, including paralysis, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, obesity, etc., without requiring major surgery. The technology is still in its infancy and uses stimulation electrodes attached to an external apparatus, which limits deeper access to the brain and spinal cord. Instead, microrobots, unattached to an external apparatus, swimming in blood vessels via remote guidance and wireless power may ease access to harder-to-reach areas in the human body and perform stimulation or deliver drugs. This award aims to study the feasibility of using sound waves to move microrobots in blood vessels. Especially, the award will model mechanisms of harnessing the sound waves to move the microrobots, deliver drugs, and harvest energy. If feasible, these microrobots would deliver drugs and allow wireless electrical stimulation of neurons deeper inside the body. Microrobots with these capabilities would eventually benefit millions of people who have upper motor neuron lesions or brain disorders such as Parkinson, depression, epilepsy, etc., without the need to undergo expensive surgery, and thus minimizing the risk of infections from protruding wires. The proposed research plan also integrates outreach activities at a local museum and a planetarium.The project will design and validate the microrobots with swimming, remote drug delivery, and neuromodulation capabilities to achieve the goal. The first aim of this award is to investigate currently unknown acoustic mechanisms that use encapsulated air bubbles to enable propulsion of the microrobot in a fluid, remote drug release, and harvest energy. The second aim will create data-driven models that capture the acoustic mechanisms of mobility and stimulation current. Further data-driven controllers will be derived to enable microrobots to reach desired targets. Finally, in third aim, the microrobot’s ability to swim to a target and intravascular neuromodulation in a larger animal model will be validated.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.