CPS: Medium: Dense Networks of Bacteria Propelled Micro-Robotic Swarms

该项目旨在开发一个计算框架和物理平台，以实现用于医疗应用的微型机器人群的密集网络。该方法依赖于设计和分析密集网络的新随机框架，以及构建和理解细菌推动的微型机器人群的新制造和表征方法。该项目将CPS科学提升到毫米级生物可植入设备的被动网络和微型机器人群体的主动网络之外，可以更有效地对抗各种危重疾病，对人体的影响最小。本项目提出了三个主要研究目标：1)受统计物理学启发的密集群体网络的建模和分析方法：描述密集群体网络动力学的理论设想旨在实现超越图灵？通过密集网络进行计算，为密集网络设计自主可靠的通信协议，并对其性能进行评估和控制；2)菌群推进游泳微型机器人的制造和引导：将采用自组装和微/纳米制造方法制造大量趋化和趋磁细菌集成微机器人。趋化性和趋磁性将分别用作被动和主动转向机制，用于在狭小空间中导航成群的微型机器人执行特定任务；3)细菌驱动的微型机器人群体的行为和控制特征：为了验证和微调所提出的计算模型，将使用光学和其他显微镜方法来表征单个和大量细菌驱动的微型机器人的运动和行为。智力上的突破：本文提出的研究突破包括利用附着的细菌作为车载执行器以及趋化性和趋磁性作为被动和主动转向控制方法来构建微型机器人群体的新的物理平台，并为设计和分析这种随机的微型机器人群体开发了一个新的计算密集网络框架。这项研究中将要开发的统计计算框架将提高对蜂群行为的理解和对大量细菌驱动的微型机器人的控制。这一框架为CPS设计提供了一种集成的方法，该方法意味着在不确定条件下运行，但能够通过自组织和集体行为成功地执行指定的任务。这种自下而上的方法是为了改进当前CPS计算模型的理论基础。更广泛的影响：由此产生的计算框架和物理平台可以适应各种不同的随机密集网络系统，从癌细胞群体的迁移或病毒群体的动态到免疫系统的支持和建模。所提出的菌群集成微型机器人在医疗保健中具有潜在的应用前景，例如在人体停滞或低速液体中的疾病诊断和靶向药物输送，或者在芯片实验室微流控设备中的医疗诊断。这样的医疗保健应用可以改善我们社会的福利。为了促进新一代CPS工作人员的学习和培训，PIS计划强调采用跨学科的方法来教授通常在不连续的轨道上提供的教学主题。督导人员会把这项研究中的CPS研究活动整合到他们新开发的课程中，并将联合教授其中一门课程。作为一项联合的国际教育活动，每年将在美国和欧洲轮流举办为期三天的暑期班，讨论与我们项目相关的各种CPS主题。这将有助于建立一个强大的国际CPS社区，并在CPS主题上培训美国和欧洲的学生。PIS将通过公开讲座向美国境内外的儿童、K-12学生、K-12教师、IEEE和ACM学生成员以及大学生展示该项目的研究成果。该项目和斯隆基金会将支持该项目中代表人数不足的少数族裔研究生。此外，未被充分代表的少数族裔本科生将通过CMU ICES暑期推广计划Sure Thing和NSF REU计划接受培训。

This project aims to develop a computational framework and a physical platform for enabling dense networks of micro-robotic swarms for medical applications. The approach relies on a new stochastic framework for design and analysis of dense networks, as well as new fabrication and characterization methods for building and understanding bacteria propelled micro-robotic swarms. This project enhances the CPS science beyond passive networks of millimeter-scale bio-implantable devices with active networks of micro-robotic swarms that could be more effective in combating various critical diseases with minimal impact on the human body.Three major research objectives are proposed in this project: 1) Statistical physics inspired approach to the modeling and analysis of dense networks of swarms: The theory envisioned for characterizing the dynamics of dense networks of swarms aims at achieving ?beyond Turing? computation via dense networks, designing autonomous reliable communication protocols for dense networks, and estimating and controlling their performance; 2) Fabrication and steering of swarms of bacteria propelled swimming micro-robots: Large numbers of both chemotactic and magnetotactic bacteria integrated micro-robotic bodies will be fabricated using self-assembly and micro/nano-fabrication methods. Chemotaxis and magnetotaxis will be respectively used as passive and active steering mechanisms for navigating the swarms of micro-robots in small spaces to perform specified tasks; 3) Characterization of the behavior and control of bacteria propelled micro-robotic swarms: To validate and fine tune the proposed computational models, the motion and behavior of single and large numbers of bacteria propelled micro-robots will be characterized using optical and other microscopy methods.Intellectual Merit: The research breakthrough proposed herein consists of building a new physical platform for micro-robotic swarms by using attached bacteria as on-board actuators and chemotaxis and magnetotaxis as passive and active steering control methods, and developing a new computational dense network framework for designing and analyzing such stochastic micro-robotic swarms. The statistical computational framework to be developed in this study will improve understanding of swarming behavior and control of large numbers of bacteria propelled micro-robots. This framework offers an integrated approach towards CPS design that is meant to operate under uncertainty conditions, yet be able to succeed in performing a specified task through self-organization and collective behavior. This bottom-top approach is meant to improve the theoretical foundations of the current computational models of CPS. Broader Impacts: The resulting computational framework and the physical platform could be adapted to a wide range of different stochastic dense network systems ranging from migration of cancer cell populations or dynamics of virus populations to immune system support and modeling. The proposed swarms of bacteria integrated micro-robots have potential future applications in health-care for the diagnosis of diseases and targeted drug delivery inside the stagnant or low velocity fluids of the human body or the medical diagnosis inside lab-on-a-chip microfluidic devices. Such health-care applications could improve the welfare of our society. To foster learning and training of next generation CPS workforce, the PIs plan to emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach to teaching topics that are usually offered in disjoint tracks. The PIs will integrate the CPS research activities in this study into their newly developed courses, and they will also teach one of these courses jointly. As a joint international educational activity, a three-day Summer School will be held alternately in US and Europe every year on various CPS topics related to our project. This will help building a strong international CPS community and training US and European students in CPS topics. The PIs will present the research results of this project to children, K-12 students, K-12 teachers, IEEE and ACM student members, and college students inside and outside of USA through public lectures. This project and the Sloan Foundation will support underrepresented and minority graduate students in the project. Moreover, underrepresented minority undergraduate students will be trained through the CMU ICES summer outreach program called The SURE Thing and the NSF REU program.