Hanyang Med Rev.  2016 Nov;36(4):235-241. 10.7599/hmr.2016.36.4.235.

Review on Fabrication and Manipulation of Scaffold and Ciliary Microrobots

• Kim S
• Lee S
• Choi H

• KMID: 2361198
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7599/hmr.2016.36.4.235

Abstract

Various microrobots are being studied for potential biomedical applications including targeted cell transportation, precise drug delivery, opening blocked blood vessels, micro-surgery, sensing, and scaffolding. Precise magnetic field control system is a coil system for wireless control of those microrobots for personalized and minimally invasive treatments. The microrobots for possible biomedical applications are fabricated by micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS) technologies. In this review, fabrication technologies for scaffold and ciliary microrobots will be introduced and their control methods will be discussed. Various materials are being used for the fabrication of the microrobot such as SU-8, IP-Dip, IP-L, silicon, etc. The scaffold and ciliary microrobots are fabricated by SU-8, IP-Dip, and IP-L because these materials showed the maximum performance for three-dimensional (3D) microrobots using a 3D laser lithography system. All or part of the structures are coated with nickel and titanium layers after fabrication of the structures for magnetic control and biocompatibility, respectively, of the microrobots.

Keyword

Microrobot; Scaffold; Ciliary; Magnetic Field; Laser Lithography

MeSH Terms

Blood Vessels
Humans
Magnetic Fields
Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems
Nickel
Silicon
Titanium
Transportation
Nickel
Silicon
Titanium

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Fabrication process for 3D porous microrobot using a 3D laser lithography system. (a) Cleaning glass wafer using IPA, (b) Drop-cast of 50~100 ul negative photoresist, (c) laser writing, (d) development, (e) nickel and titanium deposition by a sputter, and (f) fabricated structures for parameter test.

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  Fig. 2 Magnetic field control system. (a) Overview of the system and (b) a closed view for a container with fluid to immerse a small magnet for control test.

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  Fig. 3 Magnetic field control system

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  Fig. 4 Fabricated scaffold type microrobots by the 3D laser-lithography system. (Scale bar is 50 µm)

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  Fig. 5 Autonomous targeted control of a microrobot by 13 mT constant magnetic field.

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  Fig. 6 Ciliary microrobot. (a) Design of the ciliary microrobot with a mask and (b) optical image of the fabricated ciliary microrobots with (left) and without (right) the mask.

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  Fig. 7 Driving mechanism of the ciliary microrobot by stroke (a) and recovery (b) motions.

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