Collaborative Research: Integrated Swimming Microrobots for Intravascular Neuromodulation

合作研究：用于血管内神经调节的集成游泳微型机器人

• 批准号: 2325000
• 负责人: Sung Cho
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: University of Pittsburgh
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2325000&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Integrated; Swimming; Microrobots

Electrical stimulation of nervous systems via blood vessels is an emerging technique to relieve many chronic conditions, including paralysis, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, obesity, etc., without requiring major surgery. The technology is still in its infancy and uses stimulation electrodes attached to an external apparatus, which limits deeper access to the brain and spinal cord. Instead, microrobots, unattached to an external apparatus, swimming in blood vessels via remote guidance and wireless power may ease access to harder-to-reach areas in the human body and perform stimulation or deliver drugs. This award aims to study the feasibility of using sound waves to move microrobots in blood vessels. Especially, the award will model mechanisms of harnessing the sound waves to move the microrobots, deliver drugs, and harvest energy. If feasible, these microrobots would deliver drugs and allow wireless electrical stimulation of neurons deeper inside the body. Microrobots with these capabilities would eventually benefit millions of people who have upper motor neuron lesions or brain disorders such as Parkinson, depression, epilepsy, etc., without the need to undergo expensive surgery, and thus minimizing the risk of infections from protruding wires. The proposed research plan also integrates outreach activities at a local museum and a planetarium.The project will design and validate the microrobots with swimming, remote drug delivery, and neuromodulation capabilities to achieve the goal. The first aim of this award is to investigate currently unknown acoustic mechanisms that use encapsulated air bubbles to enable propulsion of the microrobot in a fluid, remote drug release, and harvest energy. The second aim will create data-driven models that capture the acoustic mechanisms of mobility and stimulation current. Further data-driven controllers will be derived to enable microrobots to reach desired targets. Finally, in third aim, the microrobot’s ability to swim to a target and intravascular neuromodulation in a larger animal model will be validated.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

通过血管对神经系统进行电刺激是一种新兴技术，可以缓解许多慢性疾病，包括瘫痪、关节炎、帕金森病、肥胖等，而无需进行大手术。该技术仍处于起步阶段，并使用连接到人体的刺激电极。外部设备限制了对大脑和脊髓的更深入的接触，相反，不连接外部设备的微型机器人通过远程指导和无线电力在血管中游动，可以轻松地进入人体中难以到达的区域并执行任务。刺激或输送药物。该奖项旨在研究利用声波在血管中移动微型机器人的可行性，特别是，该奖项将模拟利用声波移动微型机器人、输送药物和收集能量的机制。如果可行，这些微型机器人将输送药物。具有这些功能的微型机器人最终将使数百万患有上运动神经元损伤或帕金森、抑郁症、癫痫等脑部疾病的人受益，而无需进行昂贵的手术。和该项目还将设计和验证具有游泳、远程药物输送和神经调节功能的微型机器人，以最大限度地减少突出电线造成的感染风险。该奖项的目的是研究目前未知的声学机制，这些机制使用封装的气泡来推动流体中的微型机器人、远程药物释放和收集能量。第二个目标是创建数据驱动的模型来捕获微机器人的声学机制。最后，第三个目标是验证微型机器人在更大的动物模型中游向目标和血管内神经调节的能力。通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，NSF 的法定使命被认为值得支持。