Medical microrobots have potential in surgery, therapy, imaging, and diagnostics

Ornes, Stephen

doi:10.1073/pnas.1716034114

Cited by 35 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(7 reference statements)

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“…Wireless micro‐ and nanoscale robots are miniaturized structures with the ability to perform tasks under the application of external power sources, or by harvesting reagents available in their surroundings . One of the ultimate goals of these devices is to perform biomedical tasks such as microsurgery or targeted drug delivery in confined locations of the human body . The issues of locomotion in biologically relevant fluids and the release of therapeutic payloads are currently in focus.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

High‐Resolution SPECT Imaging of Stimuli‐Responsive Soft Microrobots

Iacovacci

Blanc

Huang

et al. 2019

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Untethered small‐scale robots have great potential for biomedical applications. However, critical barriers to effective translation of these miniaturized machines into clinical practice exist. High resolution tracking and imaging in vivo is one of the barriers that limit the use of micro‐ and nanorobots in clinical applications. Here, the inclusion of radioactive compounds in soft thermoresponsive magnetic microrobots is investigated to enable their single‐photon emission computed tomography imaging. Four microrobotic platforms differing in hydrogel structure and four 99mTc[Tc]‐based radioactive compounds are investigated in order to achieve optimal contrast agent retention and optimal imaging. Single microrobot imaging of structures as low as 100 µm in diameter, as well as tracking of shape switching from tubular to planar configurations by inclusion of 99mTc[Tc] colloid in the hydrogel structure, is reported.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

High‐Resolution SPECT Imaging of Stimuli‐Responsive Soft Microrobots

Iacovacci

Blanc

Huang

et al. 2019

Small

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“…Many fuel‐driven systems will not work in complex environments, e.g., with high ionic strength. The directional control of many systems also remains challenging …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The directional control of many systems also remains challenging. [23] Magnetically controlled biohybrids or magnetically powered bioinspired microswimmers can be externally controlled, obviate fuel requirements, and hold the potential for online biomedical imaging. [24,25] The latter feature is crucial for application scenarios where microswimmers shall be controlled inside the human body since control implies the existence of a feedback signal.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biohybrid and Bioinspired Magnetic Microswimmers

Bente

Codutti

Bachmann

et al. 2018

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Many motile microorganisms swim and navigate in chemically and mechanically complex environments. These organisms can be functionalized and directly used for applications (biohybrid approach), but also inspire designs for fully synthetic microbots. The most promising designs of biohybrids and bioinspired microswimmers include one or several magnetic components, which lead to sustainable propulsion mechanisms and external controllability. This Review addresses such magnetic microswimmers, which are often studied in view of certain applications, mostly in the biomedical area, but also in the environmental field. First, propulsion systems at the microscale are reviewed and the magnetism of microswimmers is introduced. The review of the magnetic biohybrids and bioinspired microswimmers is structured gradually from mostly biological systems toward purely synthetic approaches. Finally, currently less explored parts of this field ranging from in situ imaging to swarm control are discussed.

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“…The aim is for the devices to act at the nanoscale, i.e., on the molecular level. Accordingly, medical micro- or nanobots would be micromachines powered by nanoscale motor mechanisms and perform in the delivery of molecules or manipulations of molecular and cellular structures in specific regions of the body [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The first major challenges for realisation of this concept lie in the creation of mechanisms for propulsion and navigation of the machines in the bloodstream and in tissues, i.e., the engineering of controllable microswimmers [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Fantastic Voyage of the Trypanosome: A Protean Micromachine Perfected during 500 Million Years of Engineering

Krüger

Engstler

2018

Micromachines

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The human body is constantly attacked by pathogens. Various lines of defence have evolved, among which the immune system is principal. In contrast to most pathogens, the African trypanosomes thrive freely in the blood circulation, where they escape immune destruction by antigenic variation and incessant motility. These unicellular parasites are flagellate microswimmers that also withstand the harsh mechanical forces prevailing in the bloodstream. They undergo complex developmental cycles in the bloodstream and organs of the mammalian host, as well as the disease-transmitting tsetse fly. Each life cycle stage has been shaped by evolution for manoeuvring in distinct microenvironments. Here, we introduce trypanosomes as blueprints for nature-inspired design of trypanobots, micromachines that, in the future, could explore the human body without affecting its physiology. We review cell biological and biophysical aspects of trypanosome motion. While this could provide a basis for the engineering of microbots, their actuation and control still appear more like fiction than science. Here, we discuss potentials and challenges of trypanosome-inspired microswimmer robots.

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Medical microrobots have potential in surgery, therapy, imaging, and diagnostics

Cited by 35 publications

References 11 publications

High‐Resolution SPECT Imaging of Stimuli‐Responsive Soft Microrobots

High‐Resolution SPECT Imaging of Stimuli‐Responsive Soft Microrobots

Biohybrid and Bioinspired Magnetic Microswimmers

The Fantastic Voyage of the Trypanosome: A Protean Micromachine Perfected during 500 Million Years of Engineering

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