Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Human-Machine Intelligence-Synergy Systems, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
Adv Sci (Weinh). 2022 May;9(16):e2200342. doi: 10.1002/advs.202200342. Epub 2022 Mar 31.
Untethered small robots with multiple functions show considerable potential as next-generation catheter-free systems for biomedical applications. However, owing to dynamic blood flow, even effective upstream swimming in blood vessels remains a challenge for the robot, let alone performing medical tasks. This paper presents an untethered millirobot with a streamlined shape that integrates the engine, delivery, and biopsy modules. Based on the proposed spiral-rolling strategy, this robot can move upstream at a record-breaking speed of ≈14 mm s against a blood phantom flow of 136 mm s . Moreover, benefiting from the bioinspired self-sealing orifice and easy-open auto-closed biopsy needle sheath, this robot facilitates several biomedical tasks in blood vessels, such as in vivo drug delivery, tissue and liquid biopsy, and cell transportation in rabbit arteries. This study will benefit the development of wireless millirobots for controllable, minimally invasive, highly integrated, and multifunctional endovascular interventions and will inspire new designs of miniature devices for biomedical applications.
具有多种功能的无缆小型机器人有望成为下一代无导管式生物医学应用系统。然而,由于血液是动态的,即使机器人能够有效地在血管中向前游动,仍然难以执行医疗任务。本文提出了一种流线型的无缆微机器人,它集成了发动机、输送和活检模块。基于所提出的螺旋滚动策略,该机器人能够以创纪录的速度≈14mm/s 在血液模拟流 136mm/s 的情况下向上游移动。此外,得益于仿生自密封孔口和易于打开的自动闭合活检针鞘,该机器人能够在血管内完成多项生物医学任务,如体内药物输送、组织和液体活检以及兔动脉中的细胞运输。这项研究将有助于开发用于可控、微创、高度集成和多功能的血管内介入的无线微机器人,并为生物医学应用的微型设备设计带来新的灵感。