Recently, robots have assisted and contributed to the biomedical field. Scaling down the size of robots to micro/nanoscale can increase the accuracy of targeted medications and decrease the danger of invasive operations in human surgery. Inspired by the motion pattern and collective behaviors of the tiny biological motors in nature, various kinds of sophisticated and programmable microrobots are fabricated with the ability for cargo delivery, bio-imaging, precise operation, etc. In this review, four types of propulsion—magnetically, acoustically, chemically/optically and hybrid driven—and their corresponding features have been outlined and categorized. In particular, the locomotion of these micro/nanorobots, as well as the requirement of biocompatibility, transportation efficiency, and controllable motion for applications in the complex human body environment should be considered. We discuss applications of different propulsion mechanisms in the biomedical field, list their individual benefits, and suggest their potential growth paths.
The nearly complete mitochondrial genome of
Birmella discoidalisa
Wei,
1994
has been sequenced and the genome was revised with more comprehensively sequenced to near completion. The new mitogenome sequences were constructed using two separate assembly approaches, both yielding consistent results. Compared with the sequence previously reported (MF197548.1), the
trnI
(
+
) and
trnQ
(
−
) genes were assembled, and the
trnI
(+)–
trnQ
(
−
) genes were rearranged compared with the ancestral type. The systematic classification of
B. discoidalisa
was examined to provide a basis for allocation into Tenthredinidae phylogeny.
The utilization of Surface Electromyography (sEMG) is widespread for monitoring human health. Nonetheless, it is challenging to capture high-fidelity sEMG recordings in regions with intricate curved surfaces like the larynx, because regular sEMG electrodes have a stiff structure. In this paper, we develop a stretchable, high-density sEMG electrode array via a layer-by-layer printing and lamination process. The electrode offers a series of excellent human-machine interface features in terms of conformal adhesion to the skin, high electron-to-ionic conductivity (and thus lower contact impedance), prolonged environmental adaptability to resist water evaporation, and epidermal biocompatibility. This makes the electrode more appropriate than commercial electrodes for long-term wearable, high-fidelity recording of sEMG at complicated skin interfaces. Systematic in vivo studies investigate its practical functionality in swallowing activities classification, which is accomplished with high accuracy by decoding sEMG signals from the chin with the integration of an ear-mounted wearable system through machine learning algorithms. The results demonstrate clinical feasibility of the system in swallowing recognition-driven, non-invasive, user-comfortable dysphagia rehabilitation.
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