Minimally Invasive Micro-Nanoscale Tools and Devices for Medicine

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Minimally Invasive Micro-Nanoscale Tools and Devices for Medicine Category: 06 Instrumentation and Engineering Abstract We propose to develop a new class of minimally invasive micro-nanoscale surgical tools and biomedical devices using a new strategy developed in our laboratory that is based on the self- actuation and self-assembly of lithographically patterned templates. Recently, we fabricated the first-of-their-kind, mass producible, mobile grippers and demonstrated the capture and retrieval of microscale objects without batteries, wiring, or tethers. In contrast with present day endoscopy tools that utilize tethers (and hence are difficult to manipulate around corners and in coiled geometries), the mobile grippers were used to demonstrate the first tetherless, remotely guided, in vitro biopsy within a narrow tube. We plan to build on these preliminary results to develop an entire mobile and remotely actuated toolbox (including grippers, cutters and locomotors) for microsurgery. We have also engineered a new class of remote controlled containers for in vitro lab-on-a- chip applications and in vivo drug delivery. The devices are small enough to fit through a hypodermic needle, thereby facilitating minimally invasive implantation and guidance in hard to reach micro-spaces. We propose to advance the functionality of these self-loading miniaturized containers by incorporating modules for sensing, imaging and telemetry within them. Our research goals are unique in that we seek to utilize mechanisms for motion and assembly that are harnessed within the structure, obviating the need for external tethers. Hence, apart from being technologically relevant, these paradigms are intellectually stimulating as they also enable the possibility for autonomous control of miniaturized machine-based function in human engineered biomedical systems.