Fabrication and Characterization of a Magnetic Drilling Actuator for Navigation in a Three-dimensional Phantom Vascular Network

Abstract

Intravascular microrobots have emerged as a promising tool for vascular diseases. They can be wirelessly and precisely manipulated with a high degree of freedom. Previous studies have evaluated their drilling performance and locomotion, and showed the feasibility of using microrobots for biomedical applications in two-dimensional space. However, it is critical to validate micro-drillers in a three-dimensional (3D) environment because gravity plays an important role in a 3D environment and significantly affects the performance of the micro-drillers in vascular networks. In this work, we fabricated magnetic drilling actuators (MDAs) and characterized their locomotion and drilling performance in vascular network-mimicking fluidic channels. The MDAs were precisely manipulated in the fluidic channel network in both horizontal and vertical planes, selecting and moving through the desired path via the junctions of multiple channels. The MDAs also accurately navigated an artificial thrombosis in an artificial 3D vascular network and successfully drilled through it. The results obtained here confirmed the precise manipulation and drilling performance of the developed MDAs in 3D. We think that the MDAs presented in this paper have great potential as intravascular drillers for precise thrombus treatment.

Ultrasound-guided navigation of a magnetic microrobot using acoustic phase analysis

“…In fact, the proposed contrast-enhancing mechanism is not only limited to detecting rotating or vibrating motion patterns. Instead, it is more generally based on detecting any displacement along the direction of wave propagation, a typical condition of several microrobotics tasks, including different navigation and function activation strategies 1,35,36 . These perspectives unveil countless possibilities to exploit acoustic phase analysis as a robust feedback strategy for closed-loop control of medical MRs invivo.…”

Magnetically Driven Micro and Nanorobots

“…(B) Schematic of a driller working in a 3D vascular network and experiment result shows the driller can dislodge blood clot. Reproduced with permission from ref ( 325 ). Copyright 2018 The Authors.…”

Micro/nanoscale magnetic robots for biomedical applications

“…To evaluate the potential of using this design in 3D space, which better emulates the human cardiovascular system, Lee et al. [ 124 ] developed and tested a magnetic drilling actuator (MDA) capable of 3D navigation. This device consists of a 3D printed drill made of MicroFine, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene–like material with a neodymium alloy insert for magnetic manipulation.…”