Collaborative Research: Motion Control of Bacteria-Powered Microrobots

该奖项的研究目标是了解细菌推进系统的控制，并展示细菌驱动的微结构反馈控制所需的使能技术。细菌是许多微生物机器人系统的理想系统，因为它们易于生产和补充燃料。为此，构建了由鞭毛细菌和预制微结构组成的微生物机器人(MBR)。细菌细胞推动了流体环境中的微结构。在本项目中，对MBR的一些设计方面进行了探讨，包括细菌密度、在MBR表面的分布和取向的影响，以及控制细菌的各种方式。包括紫外线、电磁场、化学物质和热刺激在内的许多刺激被用作MBR的控制输入，而测量反馈由基于计算机视觉的系统提供。成果包括系统行为的数学模型，细菌形态的实验结果，显微镜可视化，运动控制的原型演示，研究结果的文档，工程学生教育，以及高中学生和教师的工程研究经验。如果成功，这项研究的结果将是理解如何控制细菌推进系统来操纵更大的工程元素的关键一步，例如在微组装和微操作场景中。工程专业的研究生和本科生将通过课堂教学和参与研究，从这个项目中受益。该计划还将与各种推广活动相结合，包括(I)在Drexel和RPI举办微生物机器人学讲习班，(Ii)通过利用和扩大Drexel和RPI已有的成熟的现有计划，积极招募和培训女性及以下的少数族裔工程师，(Iii)在RPI向高中生和教师进行推广，以及(Iv)基于网络的互动教程和展品。

The research objective of this award is to understand the control of bacterial propulsion systems, and to demonstrate the enabling technologies necessary for the feedback control of bacteria-actuated microstructures. Bacteria are ideal systems for many microbiorobotic systems, because of the ease of their ?gproduction and refueling?h. For this purpose, microbiorobots (MBRs) are constructed, which consist of flagellated bacteria integrated with fabricated microstructures. The bacterial cells propel the microstructures in fluidic environments. In this project, some design aspects for the MBRs are explored, including the effects of bacterial density, distribution and orientation on the surface of the MBRs, as well as various modalities to control the bacteria. A number of stimuli, including ultraviolet light, electromagnetic field, chemicals, and thermal stimuli are used as control inputs to the MBRs, while measurement feedback is provided by a computer vision-based system. Deliverables include mathematical models of the system behavior, experimental results on the bacteria morphology, microscopy visualization, prototypical demonstration of motion control, documentation of research results, engineering student education, and engineering research experiences for high school students and teachers.If successful, the outcome of this research will represent a critical step toward understanding how to control bacterial propulsion systems to manipulate larger engineered elements, for example in microassembly and micromanipulation scenarios. Graduate and undergraduate engineering students will benefit from this project through classroom instruction and involvement in the research. The program will also be integrated with various outreach activities, including (i) microbiorobotics workshops at Drexel and RPI, (ii) active recruitment and training of women and under?]represented minority engineers by leveraging and expanding existing and proven programs already in place at Drexel and RPI, (iii) outreach to high school students and teachers at RPI, and (iv) interactive web?]based tutorials and exhibits.