Pipelines are extensively used in environments such as nuclear power plants,chemical factories,and medical devices to transport gases and liquids.These tubular environments often feature complex geometries,confined sp...Pipelines are extensively used in environments such as nuclear power plants,chemical factories,and medical devices to transport gases and liquids.These tubular environments often feature complex geometries,confined spaces,and millimeter-scale height restrictions,presenting significant challenges to conventional inspection methods.Here,we present an ultrasonic microrobot(weight,80 mg;dimensions,24 mm×7 mm;thickness,210μm)to realize agile and bidirectional navigation in narrow pipelines.The ultrathin structural design of the robot is achieved through a high-performance piezoelectric composite film microstructure based on MEMS technology.The robot exhibits various vibration modes when driven by ultrasonic frequency signals,its motion speed reaches81 cm s-1 at 54.8 k Hz,exceeding that of the fastest piezoelectric microrobots,and its forward and backward motion direction is controllable through frequency modulation,while the minimum driving voltage for initial movement can be as low as 3 VP-P.Additionally,the robot can effortlessly climb slopes up to 24.25°and carry loads more than 36 times its weight.The robot is capable of agile navigation through curved L-shaped pipes,pipes made of various materials(acrylic,stainless steel,and polyvinyl chloride),and even over water.To further demonstrate its inspection capabilities,a micro-endoscope camera is integrated into the robot,enabling real-time image capture inside glass pipes.展开更多
Microassembly platforms have attracted significant attention recently because of their potential for developing microsystems and devices for a wide range of applications.Despite their considerable poten-tial,existing ...Microassembly platforms have attracted significant attention recently because of their potential for developing microsystems and devices for a wide range of applications.Despite their considerable poten-tial,existing techniques are mainly used in laboratory research settings.This review provides an over-view of the fundamentals,techniques,and applications of microassemblies.Manipulation techniques based on magnetic,optical,acoustic fields,and mechanical systems are discussed,and control systems that rely on machine vision and force feedback are introduced.Additionally,recent applications of microassemblies in microstructure fabrication,microelectromechanical operation,and biomedical engi-neering are examined.This review also highlights unmet technical demands and emerging trends,as well as new research opportunities in this expanding field of research driven by allied technologies such as microrobotics.展开更多
Microrobots powered by an external magnetic field could be used for sophisticated medical applications such as cell treatment,micromanipulation,and noninvasive surgery inside the body.Untethered microrobot application...Microrobots powered by an external magnetic field could be used for sophisticated medical applications such as cell treatment,micromanipulation,and noninvasive surgery inside the body.Untethered microrobot applications can benefit from haptic technology and telecommunication,enabling telemedical micro-manipulation.Users can manipulate the microrobots with haptic feedback by interacting with the robot operating system remotely in such applications.Artificially created haptic forces based on wirelessly transmitted data and model-based guidance can aid human operators with haptic sensations while manipulating microrobots.The system presented here includes a haptic device and a magnetic tweezer system linked together using a network-based teleoperation method with motion models in fluids.The magnetic microrobots can be controlled remotely,and the haptic interactions with the remote environment can be felt in real time.A time-domain passivity controller is applied to overcome network delay and ensure stability of communication.This study develops and tests a motion model for microrobots and evaluates two image-based 3D tracking algorithms to improve tracking accuracy in various Newtonian fluids.Additionally,it demonstrates that microrobots can group together to transport multiple larger objects,move through microfluidic channels for detailed tasks,and use a novel method for disassembly,greatly expanding their range of use in microscale operations.Remote medical treatment in multiple locations,remote delivery of medication without the need for physical penetration of the skin,and remotely controlled cell manipulations are some of the possible uses of the proposed technology.展开更多
Treatment of intracranial gliomas has increasingly favored minimally invasive surgery,with a growing focus on leveraging microrobots for efficient drug delivery while overcoming the impact of body fluids.Inspired by h...Treatment of intracranial gliomas has increasingly favored minimally invasive surgery,with a growing focus on leveraging microrobots for efficient drug delivery while overcoming the impact of body fluids.Inspired by honeybee stingers,this study proposed a novel microspike robot.This robot firmly adhered to the tissue surface,enabling direct drug delivery from a hydrogel on its back into the targeted tissue via microspikes.The drug delivery rate was influenced by temperature and could be controlled by an alternating magnetic field.Microrobots could be delivered rapidly through a clinical Ommaya reservoir into the postoperative cavity or ventricle of the skull.The microrobot could be actuated for adhesion and retrieval,with its motion posture and trajectory highly precisely controlled by external magnetic fields.Biological experiments confirmed the excellent biocompatibility and biosafety of the microspike robot and demonstrated its effectiveness in treating gliomas by loading unconventional therapeutic drugs.The proposed microspike robot has significant potential for long-term drug delivery to target gliomas and other future clinical applications.展开更多
Bio-inspired magnetic helical microrobots have great potential for biomedical and micromanipulation applications. Precise interaction with objects in liquid environments is an important prerequisite and challenge for ...Bio-inspired magnetic helical microrobots have great potential for biomedical and micromanipulation applications. Precise interaction with objects in liquid environments is an important prerequisite and challenge for helical microrobots to perform various tasks. In this study, an automatic control method is proposed to realize the axial docking of helical microrobots with arbitrarily placed cylindrical objects in liquid environments. The docking process is divided into ascent, approach, alignment, and insertion stages. First, a 3D docking path is planned according to the positions and orientations of the microrobot and the target object. Second, a steering-based 3D path-following controller guides the helical microrobot to rise away from the container bottom and approach the target along the path. Third, based on path design with gravity compensation and steering output limits, alignment of position and orientation can be accomplished simultaneously. Finally, the helical microrobot completes the docking under the rotating magnetic field along the target orientation. Experiments verified the automatic docking of the helical microrobot with static targets, including connecting with micro-shafts and inserting into micro-tubes. The object grasping of a reconfigurable helical microrobot aided by 3D automatic docking was also demonstrated. This method enables precise docking of helical microrobots with objects, which might be used for capture and sampling, in vivo navigation control, and functional assembly of microrobots.展开更多
Insect-scale flapping wing aerial robots actuated by piezoelectric materials—known for their high power density and rapid frequency response—have recently garnered increasing attention.However,the limited output dis...Insect-scale flapping wing aerial robots actuated by piezoelectric materials—known for their high power density and rapid frequency response—have recently garnered increasing attention.However,the limited output displacement of piezoelectric actuators results in complex transmission methods that are challenging to assemble.Furthermore,high piezoelectric coefficient materials capable of large displacements for direct wing actuation are fragile,costly,and relatively bulky.This article presents a novel design for minimalist insect-scale aerial robots,where piezoelectric bimorph PZT actuators directly drive two pairs of wings,thus eliminating complex transmission mechanisms and reducing fabrication complexity.These robots demonstrate high liftoff speeds and favorable lift-to-weight ratios,and they can achieve vertical ascent under uncontrolled open-loop conditions.The piezoelectric direct-driven twowing insect-scale aerial robot,based on this approach,features an 8 cm wingspan and a prototype weight of 140 mg,successfully achieving takeoff under unconstrained conditions with an external power source.To further enhance insect-scale aerial robot performance,we optimized the wing-to-actuator ratio and wing arrangement.We propose a biaxial aerial robot with an X-shaped structure,a 2:1 wing-toactuator ratio,a 70 mm wingspan,and a total mass of 160 mg.This structure demonstrates a high lift-to-weight ratio of 2.8:1.During free flight,when powered externally,it attains a maximum takeoff speed exceeding 1 m/s and achieves a vertical takeoff height surpassing 80 cm under uncontrolled conditions.Consequently,it ranks among the fastest prototypes in the milligram-scale weight category.展开更多
Locomotion performance degradation after carrying payloads is a significant challenge for insect-scale microrobots.Previously,a legged microrobot named BHMbot with a high load-carrying capacity based on front-leg actu...Locomotion performance degradation after carrying payloads is a significant challenge for insect-scale microrobots.Previously,a legged microrobot named BHMbot with a high load-carrying capacity based on front-leg actuation configuration and efficient running gait was proposed.However,insects,mammals and reptiles in nature typically use their powerful rear legs to achieve rapid running gaits for predation or risk evasion.In this work,the load-carrying capacity of the BHMbots with front-leg actuation and rear-leg actuation configurations is comparatively studied.Simulations based on a dynamic model with four degrees of freedom,along with experiments,have been conducted to analyze the locomotion characteristics of the two configurations under different payload masses.Both simulation and experimental results indicate that the load-carrying capacity of the microrobots is closely related to their actuation configurations,which leads to different dynamic responses of the microrobots after carrying varying payload masses.For microrobots with body lengths of 15 mm,the rear-leg actuation configuration exhibits a 31.2%enhancement in running speed compared to the front-leg actuation configuration when unloaded.Conversely,when carrying payloads exceeding 5.7 times the body mass(350 mg),the rear-leg actuation configuration demonstrates an 80.1%reduction in running speed relative to the front-leg actuation configuration under the same payload conditions.展开更多
Since natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery(NOTES) was first described by Anthony Kalloo,it has attracted tremendous interest from surgeons and gastroenterologist all around the world.This special issue of t...Since natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery(NOTES) was first described by Anthony Kalloo,it has attracted tremendous interest from surgeons and gastroenterologist all around the world.This special issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery explores the current possibilities and future potential of the most disruptive revolution in the field of surgery represented by the NOTES approach.In the future,new technologies developed for this approach and deeper insight into several gastrointestinal diseases will lead to the design of completely new interven tional procedures and change the way we will operate,bringing us to the previously unimaginable goal of "no scar surgery".展开更多
This paper presents the formulation and practical implementation of positioning methodologies that compensate for the nonholonomic constraints of a mobile microrobot that is driven by two vibrating direct current(DC) ...This paper presents the formulation and practical implementation of positioning methodologies that compensate for the nonholonomic constraints of a mobile microrobot that is driven by two vibrating direct current(DC) micromotors. The open-loop and closed-loop approaches described here add the capability for net sidewise displacements of the microrobotic platform. A displacement is achieved by the execution of a number of repeating steps that depend on the desired displacement, the speed of the micromotors, and the elapsed time. Simulation and experimental results verified the performance of the proposed methodologies.展开更多
In order to develop a new type of fish-like microrobot with swimming, walking, and floating motions, in our past research, we developed a hybrid microrobot actuated by ionic conducting polymer film （ICPF） actuators....In order to develop a new type of fish-like microrobot with swimming, walking, and floating motions, in our past research, we developed a hybrid microrobot actuated by ionic conducting polymer film （ICPF） actuators. But the microrobot had some problems in walking and floating motions. In this paper, we propose a concept of hybrid microrobot （see Fig. 1）. The microrobot is actuated by a pair of caudal fins, a base with legs and an array of artificial swim bladders. We have developed a prototype of the base with legs and one artificial swim bladder, respectively, and carried out experiments for evaluating their characteristics. Experimental results show the base with legs can realize walking speed of 6 mm/s and rotating speed of 7.1 degrees/s respectively, and the prototype of the artificial swim bladder has a maximum floatage of 2.6 mN. The experimental results also indicate that the microrobot has some advantages, such as walking motion with 2 degrees of freedom, the walking ability on rough surface （sand paper）, the controllable floatage, etc. This kind of fish-like microrobot is expected for industrial and medical applications.展开更多
We have studied a biomimetic swimmer based on the motion of bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) theoretically andexperimentally. The swimmer has an ellipsoidal cell body propelled by a helical filament. The pe...We have studied a biomimetic swimmer based on the motion of bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) theoretically andexperimentally. The swimmer has an ellipsoidal cell body propelled by a helical filament. The performance of this swimmer wasestimated by modeling the dynamics of a swimmer in viscous fluid. We applied the Resistive Force Theory (RFT) on this modelto calculate the linear swimming speed and the efficiency of the model. A parametric study on linear velocity and efficiency tooptimize the design of this swimmer was demonstrated. In order to validate the theoretical results, a biomimetic swimmer wasfabricated and an experiment setup was prepared to measure the swimming speed and thrust force in silicone oil. The experimentalresults agree well with the theoretical values predicted by RFT. In addition, we studied the flow patterns surrounding thefilament with a finite element simulation with different Reynolds number (Re) to understand the mechanism of propulsion. Thesimulation results provide information on the nature of flow patterns generated by swimming filament. Furthermore, the thrustforces from the simulation were compared with the thrust forces from theory. The simulation results are in good agreement withthe theoretical results.展开更多
Hydrogels with stimuli-responsive capabilities are gaining more and more attention nowadays with prospective applications in biomedical engineering,bioelectronics,microrobot,etc.We develop a photothermal responsive hy...Hydrogels with stimuli-responsive capabilities are gaining more and more attention nowadays with prospective applications in biomedical engineering,bioelectronics,microrobot,etc.We develop a photothermal responsive hydrogel based on N-isopropylacrylamide that achieved a fast and reversible deformation manipulated only by near-infrared(NIR)light.The hydrogel was fabricated by the projection micro stereolithography based 3D printing technique,which can rapidly prototype complex 3D structures.Furthermore,with the variation of the grayscale while manufacturing the hydrogel,the deformation of the hydrogel structure can be freely tuned within a few seconds by losing and absorbing water through adjusting the intensity and the irradiation direction of the NIR light,showing a potential application in ultra-fast object grabbing and transportation.The present study provides a new method for designing ultrafast photothermal responsive hydrogel based microrobot working in water.展开更多
It is our target to develop underwater microrobots for medical and industrial applications. This kind of underwater microrobots should have the characteristics of flexibility, good response and safety. Its structure s...It is our target to develop underwater microrobots for medical and industrial applications. This kind of underwater microrobots should have the characteristics of flexibility, good response and safety. Its structure should be simple and it can be driven by low voltage and produces no pollution or noise. The low actuating voltage and quick bending responses of Ionic Conducting Polymer Film （ICPF） are considered very useful and attractive for constructing various types of actuators and sensors. In this paper, we will first study the characteristics of the ICPF actuator used in underwater microrobot to realize swimming and walking. Then, we propose a new prototype model of underwater swimming microrobot utilizing only one piece of ICPF as the servo actuator. Through theoretic analysis, the motion mechanism of the microrobot is illustrated. It can swim forward and vertically. The relationships between moving speed and signal voltage amplitude and signal frequency is obtained after experimental study. Lastly, we present a novel underwater crab-like walking microrobot named crabliker-1. It has eight legs, and each leg is made up of two pieces of ICPF. Three sample processes of the octopod gait are proposed with a new analyzing method. The experimental results indicate that the crab-like underwater microrobot can perform transverse and rotation movement when the legs of the crab collaborate.展开更多
This paper presents the moving mechanism of a high-speed insect-scale microrobot via electromagnetically induced vibration of two simply supported beams.The microrobot,which has a body length of 12.3 mm and a total ma...This paper presents the moving mechanism of a high-speed insect-scale microrobot via electromagnetically induced vibration of two simply supported beams.The microrobot,which has a body length of 12.3 mm and a total mass of 137 mg,can achieve reciprocating lift motion of forelegs without any intermediate linkage mechanisms due to the design of an obliquely upward body tilt angle.The gait study shows that the body tilt angle prevents the forelegs from swinging backward when the feet contact the ground,which results in a forward friction force applied on the feet.During forward movement,the microrobot utilizes the elastic deformation of the simply supported beams as driving force to slide forward and its forelegs and rear legs work as pivots alternatively in a way similar to the movement of soft worms.The gait analysis also indicates that the moving direction of the microrobot is determined by whether its body tilt angle is obliquely upward or downward,and its moving speed is also related to the body tilt angle and as well as the body height.Under an applied AC voltage of 4 V,the microrobot can achieve a moving speed at 23.2 cm s1(18.9 body lengths per second),which is comparable to the fastest speed(20 cm s-1 or 20 body lengths per second)among the published insect-scale microrobots.The high-speed locomotion performance of the microrobot validates the feasibility of the presented actuation scheme and moving mechanism.展开更多
Two-photon polymerization(TPP)is a cutting-edge micro/nanoscale three-dimensional(3D)printing technology based on the principle of two-photon absorption.TPP surpasses the diffraction limit in achieving feature sizes a...Two-photon polymerization(TPP)is a cutting-edge micro/nanoscale three-dimensional(3D)printing technology based on the principle of two-photon absorption.TPP surpasses the diffraction limit in achieving feature sizes and excels in fabricating intricate 3D micro/nanostructures with exceptional resolution.The concept of 4D entails the fabrication of structures utilizing smart materials capable of undergoing shape,property,or functional changes in response to external stimuli over time.The integration of TPP and 4D printing introduces the possibility of producing responsive structures with micro/nanoscale accuracy,thereby enhancing the capabilities and potential applications of both technologies.This paper comprehensively reviews TPP-based 4D printing technology and its diverse applications.First,the working principles of TPP and its recent advancements are introduced.Second,the optional4D printing materials suitable for fabrication with TPP are discussed.Finally,this review paper highlights several noteworthy applications of TPP-based 4D printing,including domains such as biomedical microrobots,bioinspired microactuators,autonomous mobile microrobots,transformable devices and robots,as well as anti-counterfeiting microdevices.In conclusion,this paper provides valuable insights into the current status and future prospects of TPP-based4D printing technology,thereby serving as a guide for researchers and practitioners.展开更多
Inspired by bacterial flagella in nature,magnetic helical microswimmer is an ideal model to perform complex task in a low Reynolds number environments.Shape Memory Polymers(SMPs)with desirable properties are considere...Inspired by bacterial flagella in nature,magnetic helical microswimmer is an ideal model to perform complex task in a low Reynolds number environments.Shape Memory Polymers(SMPs)with desirable properties are considered as one of the most preferred options for the development of small-scale robots.However,fabricating and programming strategies are still challenging.Here,we report an approach to fabricate helical microswimmers based on thermoplastic SMP(polylactic acid).Melt-spun polylactic acid fibers containing magnetic particles were enwound to form helical microstructures.Their shape recovery behaviors were programmed by annealing and pre-deformation.Three forms of helical microswimmers(constant-helix-angle conical helix,constant-pitch conical helix,and straight helix)with controlled morphological parameters were tailored.The obtained microswimmers showed 3D locomotion capability under rotating magnetic fields.The maximum swimming velocity of microswimmers was nearly six body lengths per second,and the near-wall swimming of conical helixes along their sharp end exhibited a smaller drift.Moreover,we demonstrated programmed shape-switching processes(spring-like contraction and elongation,coiling and uncoiling)and self-repairing of the microswimmers.As demonstrations of potential applications,tasks of mobile microstent,cargo delivery,and minimally invasive injection were carried out.The multifunctional shape-memory microswimmers have immense potential in a variety of applications.展开更多
Disorders of the musculoskeletal system are the major contributors to the global burden of disease and current treatments show limited efficacy.Patients often suffer chronic pain and might eventually have to undergo e...Disorders of the musculoskeletal system are the major contributors to the global burden of disease and current treatments show limited efficacy.Patients often suffer chronic pain and might eventually have to undergo end-stage surgery.Therefore,future treatments should focus on early detection and intervention of regional lesions.Microrobots have been gradually used in organisms due to their advantages of intelligent,precise and minimally invasive targeted delivery.Through the combination of control and imaging systems,microrobots with good biosafety can be delivered to the desired area for treatment.In the musculoskeletal system,microrobots are mainly utilized to transport stem cells/drugs or to remove hazardous substances from the body.Compared to traditional biomaterial and tissue engineering strategies,active motion improves the efficiency and penetration of local targeting of cells/drugs.This review discusses the frontier applications of microrobotic systems in different tissues of the musculoskeletal system.We summarize the challenges and barriers that hinder clinical translation by evaluating the characteristics of different microrobots and finally point out the future direction of microrobots in the musculoskeletal system.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2024YFB3212901)National Natural Science Foundation of China(12072189)the Medicine and Engineering Interdisciplinary Research Fund of Shanghai Jiao Tong University(No.YG2025ZD05)。
文摘Pipelines are extensively used in environments such as nuclear power plants,chemical factories,and medical devices to transport gases and liquids.These tubular environments often feature complex geometries,confined spaces,and millimeter-scale height restrictions,presenting significant challenges to conventional inspection methods.Here,we present an ultrasonic microrobot(weight,80 mg;dimensions,24 mm×7 mm;thickness,210μm)to realize agile and bidirectional navigation in narrow pipelines.The ultrathin structural design of the robot is achieved through a high-performance piezoelectric composite film microstructure based on MEMS technology.The robot exhibits various vibration modes when driven by ultrasonic frequency signals,its motion speed reaches81 cm s-1 at 54.8 k Hz,exceeding that of the fastest piezoelectric microrobots,and its forward and backward motion direction is controllable through frequency modulation,while the minimum driving voltage for initial movement can be as low as 3 VP-P.Additionally,the robot can effortlessly climb slopes up to 24.25°and carry loads more than 36 times its weight.The robot is capable of agile navigation through curved L-shaped pipes,pipes made of various materials(acrylic,stainless steel,and polyvinyl chloride),and even over water.To further demonstrate its inspection capabilities,a micro-endoscope camera is integrated into the robot,enabling real-time image capture inside glass pipes.
基金supported by Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project(2021SHZDZX)also in part supported by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(20DZ2220400).
文摘Microassembly platforms have attracted significant attention recently because of their potential for developing microsystems and devices for a wide range of applications.Despite their considerable poten-tial,existing techniques are mainly used in laboratory research settings.This review provides an over-view of the fundamentals,techniques,and applications of microassemblies.Manipulation techniques based on magnetic,optical,acoustic fields,and mechanical systems are discussed,and control systems that rely on machine vision and force feedback are introduced.Additionally,recent applications of microassemblies in microstructure fabrication,microelectromechanical operation,and biomedical engi-neering are examined.This review also highlights unmet technical demands and emerging trends,as well as new research opportunities in this expanding field of research driven by allied technologies such as microrobotics.
基金supported by National Science Foundation Grant No.2123824.
文摘Microrobots powered by an external magnetic field could be used for sophisticated medical applications such as cell treatment,micromanipulation,and noninvasive surgery inside the body.Untethered microrobot applications can benefit from haptic technology and telecommunication,enabling telemedical micro-manipulation.Users can manipulate the microrobots with haptic feedback by interacting with the robot operating system remotely in such applications.Artificially created haptic forces based on wirelessly transmitted data and model-based guidance can aid human operators with haptic sensations while manipulating microrobots.The system presented here includes a haptic device and a magnetic tweezer system linked together using a network-based teleoperation method with motion models in fluids.The magnetic microrobots can be controlled remotely,and the haptic interactions with the remote environment can be felt in real time.A time-domain passivity controller is applied to overcome network delay and ensure stability of communication.This study develops and tests a motion model for microrobots and evaluates two image-based 3D tracking algorithms to improve tracking accuracy in various Newtonian fluids.Additionally,it demonstrates that microrobots can group together to transport multiple larger objects,move through microfluidic channels for detailed tasks,and use a novel method for disassembly,greatly expanding their range of use in microscale operations.Remote medical treatment in multiple locations,remote delivery of medication without the need for physical penetration of the skin,and remotely controlled cell manipulations are some of the possible uses of the proposed technology.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2023YFB4705600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.U23A20342,62273331,61925307,and 61821005)+1 种基金the CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research(No.YSBR-036)the CAS/SAFEA International Partnership Program for Creative Research Teams.
文摘Treatment of intracranial gliomas has increasingly favored minimally invasive surgery,with a growing focus on leveraging microrobots for efficient drug delivery while overcoming the impact of body fluids.Inspired by honeybee stingers,this study proposed a novel microspike robot.This robot firmly adhered to the tissue surface,enabling direct drug delivery from a hydrogel on its back into the targeted tissue via microspikes.The drug delivery rate was influenced by temperature and could be controlled by an alternating magnetic field.Microrobots could be delivered rapidly through a clinical Ommaya reservoir into the postoperative cavity or ventricle of the skull.The microrobot could be actuated for adhesion and retrieval,with its motion posture and trajectory highly precisely controlled by external magnetic fields.Biological experiments confirmed the excellent biocompatibility and biosafety of the microspike robot and demonstrated its effectiveness in treating gliomas by loading unconventional therapeutic drugs.The proposed microspike robot has significant potential for long-term drug delivery to target gliomas and other future clinical applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.62273117)Pre-research Task(No.SKLRS202418B)of State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems(HIT).
文摘Bio-inspired magnetic helical microrobots have great potential for biomedical and micromanipulation applications. Precise interaction with objects in liquid environments is an important prerequisite and challenge for helical microrobots to perform various tasks. In this study, an automatic control method is proposed to realize the axial docking of helical microrobots with arbitrarily placed cylindrical objects in liquid environments. The docking process is divided into ascent, approach, alignment, and insertion stages. First, a 3D docking path is planned according to the positions and orientations of the microrobot and the target object. Second, a steering-based 3D path-following controller guides the helical microrobot to rise away from the container bottom and approach the target along the path. Third, based on path design with gravity compensation and steering output limits, alignment of position and orientation can be accomplished simultaneously. Finally, the helical microrobot completes the docking under the rotating magnetic field along the target orientation. Experiments verified the automatic docking of the helical microrobot with static targets, including connecting with micro-shafts and inserting into micro-tubes. The object grasping of a reconfigurable helical microrobot aided by 3D automatic docking was also demonstrated. This method enables precise docking of helical microrobots with objects, which might be used for capture and sampling, in vivo navigation control, and functional assembly of microrobots.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52475039)。
文摘Insect-scale flapping wing aerial robots actuated by piezoelectric materials—known for their high power density and rapid frequency response—have recently garnered increasing attention.However,the limited output displacement of piezoelectric actuators results in complex transmission methods that are challenging to assemble.Furthermore,high piezoelectric coefficient materials capable of large displacements for direct wing actuation are fragile,costly,and relatively bulky.This article presents a novel design for minimalist insect-scale aerial robots,where piezoelectric bimorph PZT actuators directly drive two pairs of wings,thus eliminating complex transmission mechanisms and reducing fabrication complexity.These robots demonstrate high liftoff speeds and favorable lift-to-weight ratios,and they can achieve vertical ascent under uncontrolled open-loop conditions.The piezoelectric direct-driven twowing insect-scale aerial robot,based on this approach,features an 8 cm wingspan and a prototype weight of 140 mg,successfully achieving takeoff under unconstrained conditions with an external power source.To further enhance insect-scale aerial robot performance,we optimized the wing-to-actuator ratio and wing arrangement.We propose a biaxial aerial robot with an X-shaped structure,a 2:1 wing-toactuator ratio,a 70 mm wingspan,and a total mass of 160 mg.This structure demonstrates a high lift-to-weight ratio of 2.8:1.During free flight,when powered externally,it attains a maximum takeoff speed exceeding 1 m/s and achieves a vertical takeoff height surpassing 80 cm under uncontrolled conditions.Consequently,it ranks among the fastest prototypes in the milligram-scale weight category.
基金supported in part by Beijing Natural Science Foundation under Grant 3232010in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 12002017+2 种基金in part by AECC Industry-university Collocation Fund under Grant HFZL2023CXY026in part by Beihang Outstanding Young Scholars Project under Grant YWF-23-L-1201in part by 111 Project under Grant B08009.
文摘Locomotion performance degradation after carrying payloads is a significant challenge for insect-scale microrobots.Previously,a legged microrobot named BHMbot with a high load-carrying capacity based on front-leg actuation configuration and efficient running gait was proposed.However,insects,mammals and reptiles in nature typically use their powerful rear legs to achieve rapid running gaits for predation or risk evasion.In this work,the load-carrying capacity of the BHMbots with front-leg actuation and rear-leg actuation configurations is comparatively studied.Simulations based on a dynamic model with four degrees of freedom,along with experiments,have been conducted to analyze the locomotion characteristics of the two configurations under different payload masses.Both simulation and experimental results indicate that the load-carrying capacity of the microrobots is closely related to their actuation configurations,which leads to different dynamic responses of the microrobots after carrying varying payload masses.For microrobots with body lengths of 15 mm,the rear-leg actuation configuration exhibits a 31.2%enhancement in running speed compared to the front-leg actuation configuration when unloaded.Conversely,when carrying payloads exceeding 5.7 times the body mass(350 mg),the rear-leg actuation configuration demonstrates an 80.1%reduction in running speed relative to the front-leg actuation configuration under the same payload conditions.
文摘Since natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery(NOTES) was first described by Anthony Kalloo,it has attracted tremendous interest from surgeons and gastroenterologist all around the world.This special issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery explores the current possibilities and future potential of the most disruptive revolution in the field of surgery represented by the NOTES approach.In the future,new technologies developed for this approach and deeper insight into several gastrointestinal diseases will lead to the design of completely new interven tional procedures and change the way we will operate,bringing us to the previously unimaginable goal of "no scar surgery".
基金supported in part by the National Science Foundation(IIS1318638 and IIS1426752)the Shenzhen Science and Technology Project(ZDSY20120617113312191)
文摘This paper presents the formulation and practical implementation of positioning methodologies that compensate for the nonholonomic constraints of a mobile microrobot that is driven by two vibrating direct current(DC) micromotors. The open-loop and closed-loop approaches described here add the capability for net sidewise displacements of the microrobotic platform. A displacement is achieved by the execution of a number of repeating steps that depend on the desired displacement, the speed of the micromotors, and the elapsed time. Simulation and experimental results verified the performance of the proposed methodologies.
文摘In order to develop a new type of fish-like microrobot with swimming, walking, and floating motions, in our past research, we developed a hybrid microrobot actuated by ionic conducting polymer film （ICPF） actuators. But the microrobot had some problems in walking and floating motions. In this paper, we propose a concept of hybrid microrobot （see Fig. 1）. The microrobot is actuated by a pair of caudal fins, a base with legs and an array of artificial swim bladders. We have developed a prototype of the base with legs and one artificial swim bladder, respectively, and carried out experiments for evaluating their characteristics. Experimental results show the base with legs can realize walking speed of 6 mm/s and rotating speed of 7.1 degrees/s respectively, and the prototype of the artificial swim bladder has a maximum floatage of 2.6 mN. The experimental results also indicate that the microrobot has some advantages, such as walking motion with 2 degrees of freedom, the walking ability on rough surface （sand paper）, the controllable floatage, etc. This kind of fish-like microrobot is expected for industrial and medical applications.
基金supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education Science and Technology(Grant number:2010-0018884)
文摘We have studied a biomimetic swimmer based on the motion of bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) theoretically andexperimentally. The swimmer has an ellipsoidal cell body propelled by a helical filament. The performance of this swimmer wasestimated by modeling the dynamics of a swimmer in viscous fluid. We applied the Resistive Force Theory (RFT) on this modelto calculate the linear swimming speed and the efficiency of the model. A parametric study on linear velocity and efficiency tooptimize the design of this swimmer was demonstrated. In order to validate the theoretical results, a biomimetic swimmer wasfabricated and an experiment setup was prepared to measure the swimming speed and thrust force in silicone oil. The experimentalresults agree well with the theoretical values predicted by RFT. In addition, we studied the flow patterns surrounding thefilament with a finite element simulation with different Reynolds number (Re) to understand the mechanism of propulsion. Thesimulation results provide information on the nature of flow patterns generated by swimming filament. Furthermore, the thrustforces from the simulation were compared with the thrust forces from theory. The simulation results are in good agreement withthe theoretical results.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52006056)the Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province(2020B090923003)the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan through Grant No.2020JJ3012。
文摘Hydrogels with stimuli-responsive capabilities are gaining more and more attention nowadays with prospective applications in biomedical engineering,bioelectronics,microrobot,etc.We develop a photothermal responsive hydrogel based on N-isopropylacrylamide that achieved a fast and reversible deformation manipulated only by near-infrared(NIR)light.The hydrogel was fabricated by the projection micro stereolithography based 3D printing technique,which can rapidly prototype complex 3D structures.Furthermore,with the variation of the grayscale while manufacturing the hydrogel,the deformation of the hydrogel structure can be freely tuned within a few seconds by losing and absorbing water through adjusting the intensity and the irradiation direction of the NIR light,showing a potential application in ultra-fast object grabbing and transportation.The present study provides a new method for designing ultrafast photothermal responsive hydrogel based microrobot working in water.
文摘It is our target to develop underwater microrobots for medical and industrial applications. This kind of underwater microrobots should have the characteristics of flexibility, good response and safety. Its structure should be simple and it can be driven by low voltage and produces no pollution or noise. The low actuating voltage and quick bending responses of Ionic Conducting Polymer Film （ICPF） are considered very useful and attractive for constructing various types of actuators and sensors. In this paper, we will first study the characteristics of the ICPF actuator used in underwater microrobot to realize swimming and walking. Then, we propose a new prototype model of underwater swimming microrobot utilizing only one piece of ICPF as the servo actuator. Through theoretic analysis, the motion mechanism of the microrobot is illustrated. It can swim forward and vertically. The relationships between moving speed and signal voltage amplitude and signal frequency is obtained after experimental study. Lastly, we present a novel underwater crab-like walking microrobot named crabliker-1. It has eight legs, and each leg is made up of two pieces of ICPF. Three sample processes of the octopod gait are proposed with a new analyzing method. The experimental results indicate that the crab-like underwater microrobot can perform transverse and rotation movement when the legs of the crab collaborate.
基金This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12002017)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2019M650441)the 111 Project(Grant No.B08009).
文摘This paper presents the moving mechanism of a high-speed insect-scale microrobot via electromagnetically induced vibration of two simply supported beams.The microrobot,which has a body length of 12.3 mm and a total mass of 137 mg,can achieve reciprocating lift motion of forelegs without any intermediate linkage mechanisms due to the design of an obliquely upward body tilt angle.The gait study shows that the body tilt angle prevents the forelegs from swinging backward when the feet contact the ground,which results in a forward friction force applied on the feet.During forward movement,the microrobot utilizes the elastic deformation of the simply supported beams as driving force to slide forward and its forelegs and rear legs work as pivots alternatively in a way similar to the movement of soft worms.The gait analysis also indicates that the moving direction of the microrobot is determined by whether its body tilt angle is obliquely upward or downward,and its moving speed is also related to the body tilt angle and as well as the body height.Under an applied AC voltage of 4 V,the microrobot can achieve a moving speed at 23.2 cm s1(18.9 body lengths per second),which is comparable to the fastest speed(20 cm s-1 or 20 body lengths per second)among the published insect-scale microrobots.The high-speed locomotion performance of the microrobot validates the feasibility of the presented actuation scheme and moving mechanism.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12072142)the Key Talent Recruitment Program of Guangdong Province(No.2019QN01Z438)+2 种基金the Science Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality(ZDSYS20210623092005017)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022M721471)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province under the Grant(No.2022A1515010047)。
文摘Two-photon polymerization(TPP)is a cutting-edge micro/nanoscale three-dimensional(3D)printing technology based on the principle of two-photon absorption.TPP surpasses the diffraction limit in achieving feature sizes and excels in fabricating intricate 3D micro/nanostructures with exceptional resolution.The concept of 4D entails the fabrication of structures utilizing smart materials capable of undergoing shape,property,or functional changes in response to external stimuli over time.The integration of TPP and 4D printing introduces the possibility of producing responsive structures with micro/nanoscale accuracy,thereby enhancing the capabilities and potential applications of both technologies.This paper comprehensively reviews TPP-based 4D printing technology and its diverse applications.First,the working principles of TPP and its recent advancements are introduced.Second,the optional4D printing materials suitable for fabrication with TPP are discussed.Finally,this review paper highlights several noteworthy applications of TPP-based 4D printing,including domains such as biomedical microrobots,bioinspired microactuators,autonomous mobile microrobots,transformable devices and robots,as well as anti-counterfeiting microdevices.In conclusion,this paper provides valuable insights into the current status and future prospects of TPP-based4D printing technology,thereby serving as a guide for researchers and practitioners.
基金This research was supported by the Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51521003),NSAF(No.U1930110)the Self-Planned Task(No.SKLRS201909B)of State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System(HIT).
文摘Inspired by bacterial flagella in nature,magnetic helical microswimmer is an ideal model to perform complex task in a low Reynolds number environments.Shape Memory Polymers(SMPs)with desirable properties are considered as one of the most preferred options for the development of small-scale robots.However,fabricating and programming strategies are still challenging.Here,we report an approach to fabricate helical microswimmers based on thermoplastic SMP(polylactic acid).Melt-spun polylactic acid fibers containing magnetic particles were enwound to form helical microstructures.Their shape recovery behaviors were programmed by annealing and pre-deformation.Three forms of helical microswimmers(constant-helix-angle conical helix,constant-pitch conical helix,and straight helix)with controlled morphological parameters were tailored.The obtained microswimmers showed 3D locomotion capability under rotating magnetic fields.The maximum swimming velocity of microswimmers was nearly six body lengths per second,and the near-wall swimming of conical helixes along their sharp end exhibited a smaller drift.Moreover,we demonstrated programmed shape-switching processes(spring-like contraction and elongation,coiling and uncoiling)and self-repairing of the microswimmers.As demonstrations of potential applications,tasks of mobile microstent,cargo delivery,and minimally invasive injection were carried out.The multifunctional shape-memory microswimmers have immense potential in a variety of applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81572187,No.81871812 and No.52205590)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20220834)+1 种基金project supported by Ruihua Charity Foundation(YL20220525)the Start-up Research Fund of Southeast University(No.RF1028623098).
文摘Disorders of the musculoskeletal system are the major contributors to the global burden of disease and current treatments show limited efficacy.Patients often suffer chronic pain and might eventually have to undergo end-stage surgery.Therefore,future treatments should focus on early detection and intervention of regional lesions.Microrobots have been gradually used in organisms due to their advantages of intelligent,precise and minimally invasive targeted delivery.Through the combination of control and imaging systems,microrobots with good biosafety can be delivered to the desired area for treatment.In the musculoskeletal system,microrobots are mainly utilized to transport stem cells/drugs or to remove hazardous substances from the body.Compared to traditional biomaterial and tissue engineering strategies,active motion improves the efficiency and penetration of local targeting of cells/drugs.This review discusses the frontier applications of microrobotic systems in different tissues of the musculoskeletal system.We summarize the challenges and barriers that hinder clinical translation by evaluating the characteristics of different microrobots and finally point out the future direction of microrobots in the musculoskeletal system.
