Rational design of light-controlled microrobots

Abstract

Light Robotics is one of the newest progenies of the robotics family, bringing together advances in microfabrication and optical manipulation with intelligent control ideas from robotics and Fourier optics. The development of lightcontrollable microrobots capable of performing specific tasks at the microscale requires the ability to sculpt the two protagonists of the story: the light and the microrobots. Complex light sculpting for optical trapping has been in focus for over three decades, and its importance for controlling microscopic objects is well understood. Designing intricate microrobots for the task is a more recent development facilitated by state-of-the-art microfabrication techniques, and particularly by two-photon polymerization. The full 3D design freedom offered by two-photon polymerization opens the door for imagination, while at the same time bringing the responsibility of rationally designing microrobots tailored to specific tasks. In addition to shape and topology features, the surface chemistry of the microrobots can also help steer them towards specific applications. This paper will discuss strategies for the design and fabrication of light-controllable microrobots as a toolbox for biomedical applications.

Fabrication and optical manipulation of micro-robots for biomedical applications

“…For cylindrical micro-objects, experiments of trapping cylindrical viruses have shown that they tend to orient themselves with the axis of the optical trap [91]. To enable the optical trapping of micro-objects with a cylindrical shape, spherical features are added to the main body of the microrobots to enable effective trapping [92]. However, out-of-plane rotation is difficult to achieve.…”

Strategies for Optical Trapping in Biological Samples: Aiming at Microrobotic Surgeons

“…An example is the work of by Aekbote et al., who functionalized SU‐8 microtools with streptavidin or IgG for cell attachment . We have recently developed a method for functionalizing microtools fabricated using the IP‐L 780 photoresist from Nanoscribe …”

Light-Controlled Microbots in Biomedical Application: A Review

“…The other benefit is that they are low-powered and sometimes can be powered from distance without the need for an onboard active power source, e.g., light-powered microbots, magnetically actuated microbots, etc. Despite the existing technological challenges, untethered microbots have already shown tremendous potential for a wide range of applications, particularly in the biomedical field [6,7]. The developments in micro and nanofabrication have aided the evolution of miniature robotics with a variety of designs, control systems, and functions [8][9][10][11][12].…”