Microrobot-based biomimetic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019359928-A1
Application number	US-201716312757-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 22, 2017
Priority date	Jun 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a microrobot-based biomimetic system for delivering a drug or cell, organizing microorgans, and controlling fluid flow. The microrobot-based biomimetic system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a network for interconnecting microorgans constituting a biometric organ model; a microrobot for delivering a targeted drug or cell while moving in the network; and a magnetic field control unit for controlling an operation of the microrobot.

First claim

1 . A microrobot-based biometric system comprising:
a network connecting microorgans constituting a biological organ model to each other; a microrobot configured to move within the network to perform target-directed delivery of a drug or cell; and a magnetic field controller configured to control operation of the microrobot.

2 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 1 , wherein the microrobot is a bio-scaffold type microrobot comprising scaffolds having a gap, the microrobot loading a three-dimensional culture cell or drug into an internal space thereof and transporting the loaded cell or drug.

3 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 1 , wherein the microrobot is a capsule type microrobot comprising a cap configured to load the drug or cell and a plunger connected to the cap and rotated by a magnetic field, and
when reaching a target, the microrobot is caused to release the drug or cell from the cap by a rotating magnetic field.

4 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 1 , wherein the microrobot is a helical-scaffold type microrobot.

5 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 1 , wherein the microrobot contains a cell related to a target organ in a gap formed by scaffolds to form the microorgans, and
the microrobot is introduced into the network and is moved by a magnetic field so as to be loaded at a preset position.

6 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field controller comprises a global magnetic field controller configured to apply an external magnetic field to an entire area of the biometric system and a local magnetic field controller configured to individually apply a magnetic field to areas in which the microorgans are arranged.

7 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 6 , wherein the local magnetic field controller comprises a plurality of micro-coils arranged in an area outside a chamber in which the microorgans are arranged to apply a magnetic field toward an interior of the chamber, and
the local magnetic field controller controls the microrobot such that the microrobot bypasses corresponding areas of the microorgans depending on whether the microorgans correspond to a target or precisely controls a position of the microrobot individually to cause the microrobot to face the microorgan corresponding to the target.

8 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 6 , wherein the global magnetic field controller simultaneously controls positions of a plurality of the microrobots to collectively arrange the microrobots at preset positions of the microorgans.

9 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 1 , further comprising a microrobot pump configured to control a flow of a fluid in the network by changing a rotation speed or direction thereof by a magnetic field.

10 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 9 , wherein the microrobot pump is fixed to a wall surface of a microchannel constituting the network.

11 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 9 , wherein the microrobot pump is formed as a screw-type, windmill-type, or propeller-type microrobot pump and is driven according to a length, height, angle, and degree of magnetization of a screw thread or blade thereof to vary a flow speed or direction of the fluid.

12 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 9 , further comprising a feedback controller configured to monitor characteristics or a bio-change of the microorgans,
wherein the microrobot pump varies the rotation speed or rotation direction thereof by a magnetic field varied by a blood flow simulation control signal according to a monitoring result from the feedback controller.

13 . A microrobot-based biometric system comprising:
a network connecting microorgans; a microrobot transported in the network by magnetic field control to deliver a drug or cell toward a target; a microrobot pump formed as a screw-type, windmill-type, or propeller-type microrobot pump and rotated by varying a rotation speed and direction thereof by a magnetic field applied thereto; a global magnetic field controller configured to apply an external magnetic field to transport the microrobot in the network; a local magnetic field controller comprising a plurality of micro-coils arranged outside a chamber in which the microorgans are arranged to apply a magnetic field toward an interior of the chamber, wherein the local magnetic field controller is configured to control operation of the microrobot toward the target through precise magnetic field control when the microorgans correspond to the target, to be turned off or apply a magnetic field to control the microrobot to bypass an area of the microorgans when the microorgans do not correspond to the target, and to apply a magnetic field for control of rotation of the microrobot pump; and a feedback controller configured to transmit a feedback control signal for blood flow state simulation to the local magnetic field controller configured to control operation of the microrobot pump.

14 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 13 , wherein the microrobot contains an organ cell inside scaffolds forming a gap and is transported to and loaded at a preset position to form the microorgans.

15 . The microrobot-based biometric system of claim 13 , wherein the feedback controller transmits the feedback control signal for control of a fluid flow in the network by matching data about intrinsic characteristics of the microorgans and a bio-change monitoring result according to administration of the drug, and the local magnetic field controller receiving the signal applies a magnetic field having a changed direction and intensity to the microrobot pump.

Assignees

• Daegu Gyeongbuk Inst Science & Tech

Inventors

• Choi Hong Soo
• Kim Jin Young
• Lee Seung Min
• Kim Sang Won

Classifications

• B01L2200/143

  Quality control, feedback systems · CPC title

• B01L2400/043

  magnetic forces · CPC title

• C12M23/16

  Microfluidic devices; Capillary tubes (integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; microreactors B01J19/0093) · CPC title

• C12M35/06

  Magnetic means (C12M35/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01L2300/12

  Specific details about materials · CPC title