Metin Sitti

Director

Physical Intelligence

http://nanolab.me.cmu.edu/members/

Overview
Publications

Dr. Metin Sitti received the BSc and MSc degrees in electrical and electronics engineering from Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey, in 1992 and 1994, respectively, and the PhD degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, in 1999. He was a research scientist at UC Berkeley during 1999-2002. He has been a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA since 2002. He is currently a director at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart. His research interests include small-scale physical intelligence, mobile microrobotics, bio-inspired materials and miniature robots, soft robotics, and micro-/nanomanipulation. He is an IEEE Fellow. He received the SPIE Nanoengineering Pioneer Award in 2011 and NSF CAREER Award in 2005. He received many best paper, video and poster awards in major robotics and adhesion conferences. He is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Micro-Bio Robotics.

406 results (View BibTeX file of all listed publications)

2018

Universal Custom Complex Magnetic Spring Design Methodology

Woodward, M. A., Sitti, M.

IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 54(1):1-13, October 2018 (article)

Abstract

A design methodology is presented for creating custom complex magnetic springs through the design of force-displacement curves. This methodology results in a magnet configuration, which will produce a desired force-displacement relationship. Initially, the problem is formulated and solved as a system of linear equations. Then, given the limited likelihood of a single solution being feasibly manufactured, key parameters of the solution are extracted and varied to create a family of solutions. Finally, these solutions are refined using numerical optimization. Given the properties of magnets, this methodology can create any well-defined function of force versus displacement and is model-independent. To demonstrate this flexibility, a number of example magnetic springs are designed; one of which, designed for use in a jumping-gliding robot's shape memory alloy actuated clutch, is manufactured and experimentally characterized. Due to the scaling of magnetic forces, the displacement region which these magnetic springs are most applicable is that of millimeters and below. However, this region is well situated for miniature robots and smart material actuators, where a tailored magnetic spring, designed to compliment a component, can enhance its performance while adding new functionality. The methodology is also expendable to variable interactions and multi-dimensional magnetic field design.

DOI [BibTex]

2018

pi Woodward, M. A., Sitti, M. Universal Custom Complex Magnetic Spring Design Methodology IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 54(1):1-13, October 2018 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Mobile Microrobots for Active Therapeutic Delivery

Pelin Erkoc, , I Ceren Yasa, , Hakan Ceylan, , Oncay Yasa, , Yunus Alapan, , Sitti, M.

Advanced Therapeutics, pages: 1800064, October 2018 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

pi Pelin Erkoc, , I Ceren Yasa, , Hakan Ceylan, , Oncay Yasa, , Yunus Alapan, , Sitti, M. Mobile Microrobots for Active Therapeutic Delivery Advanced Therapeutics, pages: 1800064, October 2018 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Microalga‐Powered Microswimmers toward Active Cargo Delivery

Yasa, O., Erkoc, P., Alapan, Y., Sitti, M.

Advanced Materials, pages: 1804130, September 2018 (article)

Microalga‐Powered Microswimmers toward Active Cargo Delivery DOI [BibTex]

pi Yasa, O., Erkoc, P., Alapan, Y., Sitti, M. Microalga‐Powered Microswimmers toward Active Cargo Delivery Advanced Materials, pages: 1804130, September 2018 (article)

Microalga‐Powered Microswimmers toward Active Cargo Delivery DOI [BibTex]

Light-Triggered Drug Release from 3D-Printed Magnetic Chitosan Microswimmers

Ugur Bozuyuk, , Oncay Yasa, , I. Ceren Yasa, , Hakan Ceylan, , Seda Kizilel, , Sitti, M.

ACS Nano, 12, pages: 9617-9625, September 2018 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

pi Ugur Bozuyuk, , Oncay Yasa, , I. Ceren Yasa, , Hakan Ceylan, , Seda Kizilel, , Sitti, M. Light-Triggered Drug Release from 3D-Printed Magnetic Chitosan Microswimmers ACS Nano, 12, pages: 9617-9625, September 2018 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Programmable collective behavior in dynamically self-assembled mobile microrobotic swarms

B Yigit, , Y Alapan, , Sitti, M.

arXiv, July 2018 (article)

Abstract

Collective control of mobile microrobotic swarms is indispensable for their potential high-impact applications in targeted drug delivery, medical diagnostics, parallel micromanipulation, and environmental sensing and remediation. Lack of on-board computational and sensing capabilities in current microrobotic systems necessitates use of physical interactions among individual microrobots for local physical communication and cooperation. Here, we show that mobile microrobotic swarms with well-defined collective behavior can be designed by engineering magnetic interactions among individual units. Microrobots, consisting of a linear chain of self-assembled magnetic microparticles, locomote on surfaces in response to a precessing magnetic field. Control over the direction of precessing magnetic field allows engineering attractive and repulsive interactions among microrobots and, thus, collective order with well-defined spatial organization and parallel operation over macroscale distances (~ 1 cm). These microrobotic swarms can be guided through confined spaces, while preserving microrobot morphology and function. These swarms can further achieve directional transport of large cargoes on surfaces and small cargoes in bulk fluids. Described design approach, exploiting physical interactions among individual robots, enables facile and rapid formation of self-organized and reconfigurable microrobotic swarms with programmable collective order.

link (url) [BibTex]

pi B Yigit, , Y Alapan, , Sitti, M. Programmable collective behavior in dynamically self-assembled mobile microrobotic swarms arXiv, July 2018 (article)

link (url) [BibTex]

3D-Printed Biodegradable Microswimmer for Drug Delivery and Targeted Cell Labeling

Hakan Ceylan, , I. Ceren Yasa, , Oncay Yasa, , Ahmet Fatih Tabak, , Joshua Giltinan, , Sitti, M.

bioRxiv, pages: 379024, July 2018 (article)

Abstract

Miniaturization of interventional medical devices can leverage minimally invasive technologies by enabling operational resolution at cellular length scales with high precision and repeatability. Untethered micron-scale mobile robots can realize this by navigating and performing in hard-to-reach, confined and delicate inner body sites. However, such a complex task requires an integrated design and engineering strategy, where powering, control, environmental sensing, medical functionality and biodegradability need to be considered altogether. The present study reports a hydrogel-based, biodegradable microrobotic swimmer, which is responsive to the changes in its microenvironment for theranostic cargo delivery and release tasks. We design a double-helical magnetic microswimmer of 20 micrometers length, which is 3D-printed with complex geometrical and compositional features. At normal physiological concentrations, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) enzyme can entirely degrade the microswimmer body in 118 h to solubilized non-toxic products. The microswimmer can respond to the pathological concentrations of MMP-2 by swelling and thereby accelerating the release kinetics of the drug payload. Anti-ErbB 2 antibody-tagged magnetic nanoparticles released from the degraded microswimmers serve for targeted labeling of SKBR3 breast cancer cells to realize the potential of medical imaging of local tissue sites following the therapeutic intervention. These results represent a leap forward toward clinical medical microrobots that are capable of sensing, responding to the local pathological information, and performing specific therapeutic and diagnostic tasks as orderly executed operations using their smart composite material architectures.

DOI [BibTex]

pi Hakan Ceylan, , I. Ceren Yasa, , Oncay Yasa, , Ahmet Fatih Tabak, , Joshua Giltinan, , Sitti, M. 3D-Printed Biodegradable Microswimmer for Drug Delivery and Targeted Cell Labeling bioRxiv, pages: 379024, July 2018 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Innate turning preference of leaf-cutting ants in the absence of external orientation cues

Endlein, T., Sitti, M.

Journal of Experimental Biology, The Company of Biologists Ltd, June 2018 (article)

Abstract

Many ants use a combination of cues for orientation but how do ants find their way when all external cues are suppressed? Do they walk in a random way or are their movements spatially oriented? Here we show for the first time that leaf-cutting ants (Acromyrmex lundii) have an innate preference of turning counter-clockwise (left) when external cues are precluded. We demonstrated this by allowing individual ants to run freely on the water surface of a newly-developed treadmill. The surface tension supported medium-sized workers but effectively prevented ants from reaching the wall of the vessel, important to avoid wall-following behaviour (thigmotaxis). Most ants ran for minutes on the spot but also slowly turned counter-clockwise in the absence of visual cues. Reconstructing the effectively walked path revealed a looping pattern which could be interpreted as a search strategy. A similar turning bias was shown for groups of ants in a symmetrical Y-maze where twice as many ants chose the left branch in the absence of optical cues. Wall-following behaviour was tested by inserting a coiled tube before the Y-fork. When ants traversed a left-coiled tube, more ants chose the left box and vice versa. Adding visual cues in form of vertical black strips either outside the treadmill or on one branch of the Y-maze led to oriented walks towards the strips. It is suggested that both, the turning bias and the wall-following are employed as search strategies for an unknown environment which can be overridden by visual cues.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Endlein, T., Sitti, M. Innate turning preference of leaf-cutting ants in the absence of external orientation cues Journal of Experimental Biology, The Company of Biologists Ltd, June 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Motility and chemotaxis of bacteria-driven microswimmers fabricated using antigen 43-mediated biotin display

Schauer, O., Mostaghaci, B., Colin, R., Hürtgen, D., Kraus, D., Sitti, M., Sourjik, V.

Scientific Reports, 8(1):9801, Nature Publishing Group, June 2018 (article)

Abstract

Bacteria-driven biohybrid microswimmers (bacteriabots) combine synthetic cargo with motile living bacteria that enable propulsion and steering. Although fabrication and potential use of such bacteriabots have attracted much attention, existing methods of fabrication require an extensive sample preparation that can drastically decrease the viability and motility of bacteria. Moreover, chemotactic behavior of bacteriabots in a liquid medium with chemical gradients has remained largely unclear. To overcome these shortcomings, we designed Escherichia coli to autonomously display biotin on its cell surface via the engineered autotransporter antigen 43 and thus to bind streptavidin-coated cargo. We show that the cargo attachment to these bacteria is greatly enhanced by motility and occurs predominantly at the cell poles, which is greatly beneficial for the fabrication of motile bacteriabots. We further performed a systemic study to understand and optimize the ability of these bacteriabots to follow chemical gradients. We demonstrate that the chemotaxis of bacteriabots is primarily limited by the cargo-dependent reduction of swimming speed and show that the fabrication of bacteriabots using elongated E. coli cells can be used to overcome this limitation.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Schauer, O., Mostaghaci, B., Colin, R., Hürtgen, D., Kraus, D., Sitti, M., Sourjik, V. Motility and chemotaxis of bacteria-driven microswimmers fabricated using antigen 43-mediated biotin display Scientific Reports, 8(1):9801, Nature Publishing Group, June 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Multifunctional ferrofluid-infused surfaces with reconfigurable multiscale topography

Wang, W., Timonen, J. V. I., Carlson, A., Drotlef, D., Zhang, C. T., Kolle, S., Grinthal, A., Wong, T., Hatton, B., Kang, S. H., Kennedy, S., Chi, J., Blough, R. T., Sitti, M., Mahadevan, L., Aizenberg, J.

Nature, June 2018 (article)

Abstract

Developing adaptive materials with geometries that change in response to external stimuli provides fundamental insights into the links between the physical forces involved and the resultant morphologies and creates a foundation for technologically relevant dynamic systems1,2. In particular, reconfigurable surface topography as a means to control interfacial properties 3 has recently been explored using responsive gels 4 , shape-memory polymers 5 , liquid crystals6-8 and hybrid composites9-14, including magnetically active slippery surfaces12-14. However, these designs exhibit a limited range of topographical changes and thus a restricted scope of function. Here we introduce a hierarchical magneto-responsive composite surface, made by infiltrating a ferrofluid into a microstructured matrix (termed ferrofluid-containing liquid-infused porous surfaces, or FLIPS). We demonstrate various topographical reconfigurations at multiple length scales and a broad range of associated emergent behaviours. An applied magnetic-field gradient induces the movement of magnetic nanoparticles suspended in the ferrofluid, which leads to microscale flow of the ferrofluid first above and then within the microstructured surface. This redistribution changes the initially smooth surface of the ferrofluid (which is immobilized by the porous matrix through capillary forces) into various multiscale hierarchical topographies shaped by the size, arrangement and orientation of the confining microstructures in the magnetic field. We analyse the spatial and temporal dynamics of these reconfigurations theoretically and experimentally as a function of the balance between capillary and magnetic pressures15-19 and of the geometric anisotropy of the FLIPS system. Several interesting functions at three different length scales are demonstrated: self-assembly of colloidal particles at the micrometre scale; regulated flow of liquid droplets at the millimetre scale; and switchable adhesion and friction, liquid pumping and removal of biofilms at the centimetre scale. We envision that FLIPS could be used as part of integrated control systems for the manipulation and transport of matter, thermal management, microfluidics and fouling-release materials.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Wang, W., Timonen, J. V. I., Carlson, A., Drotlef, D., Zhang, C. T., Kolle, S., Grinthal, A., Wong, T., Hatton, B., Kang, S. H., Kennedy, S., Chi, J., Blough, R. T., Sitti, M., Mahadevan, L., Aizenberg, J. Multifunctional ferrofluid-infused surfaces with reconfigurable multiscale topography Nature, June 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Self-Sensing Paper Actuators Based on Graphite–Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Films

Morteza, A., Metin, S.

Advanced Science, pages: 1800239, May 2018 (article)

Abstract

Abstract Soft actuators have demonstrated potential in a range of applications, including soft robotics, artificial muscles, and biomimetic devices. However, the majority of current soft actuators suffer from the lack of real-time sensory feedback, prohibiting their effective sensing and multitask function. Here, a promising strategy is reported to design bilayer electrothermal actuators capable of simultaneous actuation and sensation (i.e., self-sensing actuators), merely through two input electric terminals. Decoupled electrothermal stimulation and strain sensation is achieved by the optimal combination of graphite microparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the form of hybrid films. By finely tuning the charge transport properties of hybrid films, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of self-sensing actuators is remarkably enhanced to over 66. As a result, self-sensing actuators can actively track their displacement and distinguish the touch of soft and hard objects.

link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

pi Morteza, A., Metin, S. Self-Sensing Paper Actuators Based on Graphite–Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Films Advanced Science, pages: 1800239, May 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Soft erythrocyte-based bacterial microswimmers for cargo delivery

Alapan, Y., Yasa, O., Schauer, O., Giltinan, J., Tabak, A. F., Sourjik, V., Sitti, M.

Science Robotics, 3(17):eaar4423, Science Robotics, April 2018 (article)

Abstract

Bacteria-propelled biohybrid microswimmers have recently shown to be able to actively transport and deliver cargos encapsulated into their synthetic constructs to specific regions locally. However, usage of synthetic materials as cargo carriers can result in inferior performance in load-carrying efficiency, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, impeding clinical translation of biohybrid microswimmers. Here, we report construction and external guidance of bacteria-driven microswimmers using red blood cells (RBCs; erythrocytes) as autologous cargo carriers for active and guided drug delivery. Multifunctional biohybrid microswimmers were fabricated by attachment of RBCs [loaded with anticancer doxorubicin drug molecules and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs)] to bioengineered motile bacteria, Escherichia coli MG1655, via biotin-avidin-biotin binding complex. Autonomous and on-board propulsion of biohybrid microswimmers was provided by bacteria, and their external magnetic guidance was enabled by SPIONs loaded into the RBCs. Furthermore, bacteria-driven RBC microswimmers displayed preserved deformability and attachment stability even after squeezing in microchannels smaller than their sizes, as in the case of bare RBCs. In addition, an on-demand light-activated hyperthermia termination switch was engineered for RBC microswimmers to control bacteria population after operations. RBCs, as biological and autologous cargo carriers in the biohybrid microswimmers, offer notable advantages in stability, deformability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability over synthetic cargo-carrier materials. The biohybrid microswimmer design presented here transforms RBCs from passive cargo carriers into active and guidable cargo carriers toward targeted drug and other cargo delivery applications in medicine.

link (url) DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

pi Alapan, Y., Yasa, O., Schauer, O., Giltinan, J., Tabak, A. F., Sourjik, V., Sitti, M. Soft erythrocyte-based bacterial microswimmers for cargo delivery Science Robotics, 3(17):eaar4423, Science Robotics, April 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

Miniature soft robots – road to the clinic

Sitti, M.

Nature Reviews Materials, April 2018 (article)

Abstract

Soft small robots offer the opportunity to non-invasively access human tissue to perform medical operations and deliver drugs; however, challenges in materials design, biocompatibility and function control remain to be overcome for soft robots to reach the clinic.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Sitti, M. Miniature soft robots – road to the clinic Nature Reviews Materials, April 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Wrinkling Instability and Adhesion of a Highly Bendable Gallium Oxide Nanofilm Encapsulating a Liquid-Gallium Droplet

Yunusa, M., Amador, G. J., Drotlef, D., Sitti, M.

Nano Letters, March 2018, PMID: 29510627 (article)

Abstract

The wrinkling and interfacial adhesion mechanics of a gallium-oxide nanofilm encapsulating a liquid-gallium droplet are presented. The native oxide nanofilm provides mechanical stability by preventing the flow of the liquid metal. We show how a crumpled oxide skin a few nanometers thick behaves akin to a highly bendable elastic nanofilm under ambient conditions. Upon compression, a wrinkling instability emerges at the contact interface to relieve the applied stress. As the load is further increased, radial wrinkles evolve, and, eventually, the oxide nanofilm ruptures. The observed wrinkling closely resembles the instability experienced by nanofilms under axisymmetric loading, thus providing further insights into the behaviors of elastic nanofilms. Moreover, the mechanical attributes of the oxide skin enable high surface conformation by exhibiting liquid-like behavior. We measured an adhesion energy of 0.238 ± 0.008 J m–2 between a liquid-gallium droplet and smooth flat glass, which is close to the measurements of thin-sheet nanomaterials such as graphene on silicon dioxide.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Yunusa, M., Amador, G. J., Drotlef, D., Sitti, M. Wrinkling Instability and Adhesion of a Highly Bendable Gallium Oxide Nanofilm Encapsulating a Liquid-Gallium Droplet Nano Letters, March 2018, PMID: 29510627 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Magnetic-Visual Sensor Fusion-based Dense 3D Reconstruction and Localization for Endoscopic Capsule Robots

Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Ornek, E. P., Araujo, H., Yanik, M. F., Sitti, M.

ArXiv e-prints, March 2018 (article)

Abstract

Reliable and real-time 3D reconstruction and localization functionality is a crucial prerequisite for the navigation of actively controlled capsule endoscopic robots as an emerging, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic technology for use in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this study, we propose a fully dense, non-rigidly deformable, strictly real-time, intraoperative map fusion approach for actively controlled endoscopic capsule robot applications which combines magnetic and vision-based localization, with non-rigid deformations based frame-to-model map fusion. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated using four different ex-vivo porcine stomach models. Across different trajectories of varying speed and complexity, and four different endoscopic cameras, the root mean square surface reconstruction errors 1.58 to 2.17 cm.

link (url) [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Ornek, E. P., Araujo, H., Yanik, M. F., Sitti, M. Magnetic-Visual Sensor Fusion-based Dense 3D Reconstruction and Localization for Endoscopic Capsule Robots ArXiv e-prints, March 2018 (article)

link (url) [BibTex]

Unsupervised Odometry and Depth Learning for Endoscopic Capsule Robots

Turan, M., Ornek, E. P., Ibrahimli, N., Giracoglu, C., Almalioglu, Y., Yanik, M. F., Sitti, M.

ArXiv e-prints, March 2018 (article)

Abstract

In the last decade, many medical companies and research groups have tried to convert passive capsule endoscopes as an emerging and minimally invasive diagnostic technology into actively steerable endoscopic capsule robots which will provide more intuitive disease detection, targeted drug delivery and biopsy-like operations in the gastrointestinal(GI) tract. In this study, we introduce a fully unsupervised, real-time odometry and depth learner for monocular endoscopic capsule robots. We establish the supervision by warping view sequences and assigning the re-projection minimization to the loss function, which we adopt in multi-view pose estimation and single-view depth estimation network. Detailed quantitative and qualitative analyses of the proposed framework performed on non-rigidly deformable ex-vivo porcine stomach datasets proves the effectiveness of the method in terms of motion estimation and depth recovery.

link (url) [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Ornek, E. P., Ibrahimli, N., Giracoglu, C., Almalioglu, Y., Yanik, M. F., Sitti, M. Unsupervised Odometry and Depth Learning for Endoscopic Capsule Robots ArXiv e-prints, March 2018 (article)

link (url) [BibTex]

Self‐Folded Hydrogel Tubes for Implantable Muscular Tissue Scaffolds

Vannozzi, L., Yasa, I. C., Ceylan, H., Menciassi, A., Ricotti, L., Sitti, M.

Macromolecular Bioscience, (0):1700377, March 2018 (article)

Abstract

Abstract Programming materials with tunable physical and chemical interactions among its components pave the way of generating 3D functional active microsystems with various potential applications in tissue engineering, drug delivery, and soft robotics. Here, the development of a recapitulated fascicle‐like implantable muscle construct by programmed self‐folding of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate hydrogels is reported. The system comprises two stacked layers, each with differential swelling degrees, stiffnesses, and thicknesses in 2D, which folds into a 3D tube together. Inside the tubes, muscle cell adhesion and their spatial alignment are controlled. Both skeletal and cardiac muscle cells also exhibit high viability, and cardiac myocytes preserve their contractile function over the course of 7 d. Integration of biological cells with smart, shape‐changing materials could give rise to the development of new cellular constructs for hierarchical tissue assembly, drug testing platforms, and biohybrid actuators that can perform sophisticated tasks.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Vannozzi, L., Yasa, I. C., Ceylan, H., Menciassi, A., Ricotti, L., Sitti, M. Self‐Folded Hydrogel Tubes for Implantable Muscular Tissue Scaffolds Macromolecular Bioscience, (0):1700377, March 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Redox metals homeostasis in multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a review

Sheykhansari, S., Kozielski, K., Bill, J., Sitti, M., Gemmati, D., Zamboni, P., Singh, A. V.

Cell Death \& Disease, 9(3):348, March 2018 (article)

Abstract

The effect of redox metals such as iron and copper on multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has been intensively studied. However, the origin of these disorders remains uncertain. This review article critically describes the physiology of redox metals that produce oxidative stress, which in turn leads to cascades of immunomodulatory alteration of neurons in multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Iron and copper overload has been well established in motor neurons of these diseases' lesions. On the other hand, the role of other metals like cadmium participating indirectly in the redox cascade of neurobiological mechanism is less studied. In the second part of this review, we focus on this less conspicuous correlation between cadmium as an inactive-redox metal and multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, providing novel treatment modalities and approaches as future prospects.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Sheykhansari, S., Kozielski, K., Bill, J., Sitti, M., Gemmati, D., Zamboni, P., Singh, A. V. Redox metals homeostasis in multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a review Cell Death \& Disease, 9(3):348, March 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Cancer cells biomineralize ionic gold into nanoparticles-microplates via secreting defense proteins with specific gold-binding peptides

Singh, A. V., Jahnke, T., Kishore, V., Park, B., Batuwangala, M., Bill, J., Sitti, M.

Acta Biomaterialia, March 2018 (article)

Abstract

Cancer cells have the capacity to synthesize nanoparticles (NPs). The detailed mechanism of this process is not very well documented. We report the mechanism of biomineralization of aqueous gold chloride into NPs and microplates in the breast-cancer cell line MCF7. Spherical gold NPs are synthesized in these cells in the presence of serum in the culture media by the reduction of HAuCl4. In the absence of serum, the cells exhibit gold microplate formation through seed-mediate growth albeit slower reduction. The structural characteristics of the two types of NPs under different media conditions were confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM); crystallinity and metallic properties were assessed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Gold-reducing proteins, related to cell stress initiate the biomineralization of HAuCl4 in cells (under serum free conditions) as confirmed by infrared (IR) spectroscopy. MCF7 cells undergo irreversible replicative senescence when exposed to a high concentration of ionic gold and conversely remain in a dormant reversible quiescent state when exposed to a low gold concentration. The latter cellular state was achievable in the presence of the rho/ROCK inhibitor Y-27632. Proteomic analysis revealed consistent expression of specific proteins under serum and serum-free conditions. A high-throughput proteomic approach to screen gold-reducing proteins and peptide sequences was utilized and validated by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Statement of significance Cancer cells are known to synthesize gold nanoparticles and microstructures, which are promising for bioimaging and other therapeutic applications. However, the detailed mechanism of such biomineralization process is not well understood yet. Herein, we demonstrate that cancer cells exposed to gold ions (grown in serum/serum-free conditions) secrete shock and stress-related proteins with specific gold-binding/reducing polypeptides. Cells undergo reversible senescence and can recover normal physiology when treated with the senescence inhibitor depending on culture condition. The use of mammalian cells as microincubators for synthesis of such particles could have potential influence on their uptake and biocompatibility. This study has important implications for in-situ reduction of ionic gold to anisotropic micro-nanostructures that could be used in-vivo clinical applications and tumor photothermal therapy.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Singh, A. V., Jahnke, T., Kishore, V., Park, B., Batuwangala, M., Bill, J., Sitti, M. Cancer cells biomineralize ionic gold into nanoparticles-microplates via secreting defense proteins with specific gold-binding peptides Acta Biomaterialia, March 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Thermocapillary-driven fluid flow within microchannels

Amador, G. J., Tabak, A. F., Ren, Z., Alapan, Y., Yasa, O., Sitti, M.

ArXiv e-prints, Febuary 2018 (article)

Abstract

Surface tension gradients induce Marangoni flow, which may be exploited for fluid transport. At the micrometer scale, these surface-driven flows can be more significant than those driven by pressure. By introducing fluid-fluid interfaces on the walls of microfluidic channels, we use surface tension gradients to drive bulk fluid flows. The gradients are specifically induced through thermal energy, exploiting the temperature dependence of a fluid-fluid interface to generate thermocapillary flow. In this report, we provide the design concept for a biocompatible, thermocapillary microchannel capable of being powered by solar irradiation. Using temperature gradients on the order of degrees Celsius per centimeter, we achieve fluid velocities on the order of millimeters per second. Following experimental observations, fluid dynamic models, and numerical simulation, we find that the fluid velocity is linearly proportional to the provided temperature gradient, enabling full control of the fluid flow within the microchannels.

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

pi Amador, G. J., Tabak, A. F., Ren, Z., Alapan, Y., Yasa, O., Sitti, M. Thermocapillary-driven fluid flow within microchannels ArXiv e-prints, Febuary 2018 (article)

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

Sparse-then-dense alignment-based 3D map reconstruction method for endoscopic capsule robots

Turan, M., Pilavci, Y. Y., Ganiyusufoglu, I., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M.

Machine Vision and Applications, 29(2):345-359, Febuary 2018 (article)

Abstract

Despite significant progress achieved in the last decade to convert passive capsule endoscopes to actively controllable robots, robotic capsule endoscopy still has some challenges. In particular, a fully dense three-dimensional (3D) map reconstruction of the explored organ remains an unsolved problem. Such a dense map would help doctors detect the locations and sizes of the diseased areas more reliably, resulting in more accurate diagnoses. In this study, we propose a comprehensive medical 3D reconstruction method for endoscopic capsule robots, which is built in a modular fashion including preprocessing, keyframe selection, sparse-then-dense alignment-based pose estimation, bundle fusion, and shading-based 3D reconstruction. A detailed quantitative analysis is performed using a non-rigid esophagus gastroduodenoscopy simulator, four different endoscopic cameras, a magnetically activated soft capsule robot, a sub-millimeter precise optical motion tracker, and a fine-scale 3D optical scanner, whereas qualitative ex-vivo experiments are performed on a porcine pig stomach. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first complete endoscopic 3D map reconstruction approach containing all of the necessary functionalities for a therapeutically relevant 3D map reconstruction.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Pilavci, Y. Y., Ganiyusufoglu, I., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M. Sparse-then-dense alignment-based 3D map reconstruction method for endoscopic capsule robots Machine Vision and Applications, 29(2):345-359, Febuary 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Independent Actuation of Two-Tailed Microrobots

Khalil, I. S. M., Tabak, A. F., Hamed, Y., Tawakol, M., Klingner, A., Gohary, N. E., Mizaikoff, B., Sitti, M.

IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 3(3):1703-1710, Febuary 2018 (article)

Abstract

A soft two-tailed microrobot in low Reynolds number fluids does not achieve forward locomotion by identical tails regardless to its wiggling frequency. If the tails are nonidentical, zero forward locomotion is also observed at specific oscillation frequencies (which we refer to as the reversal frequencies), as the propulsive forces imparted to the fluid by each tail are almost equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. We find distinct reversal frequencies for the two-tailed microrobots based on their tail length ratio. At these frequencies, the microrobot achieves negligible net displacement under the influence of a periodic magnetic field. This observation allows us to fabricate groups of microrobots with tail length ratio of 1.24 ± 0.11, 1.48 ± 0.08, and 1.71 ± 0.09. We demonstrate selective actuation of microrobots based on prior characterization of their reversal frequencies. We also implement simultaneous flagellar propulsion of two microrobots and show that they can be controlled to swim along the same direction and opposite to each other using common periodic magnetic fields. In addition, independent motion control of two microrobots is achieved toward two different reference positions with average steady-state error of 110.1 ± 91.8 μm and 146.9 ± 105.9 μm.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Khalil, I. S. M., Tabak, A. F., Hamed, Y., Tawakol, M., Klingner, A., Gohary, N. E., Mizaikoff, B., Sitti, M. Independent Actuation of Two-Tailed Microrobots IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 3(3):1703-1710, Febuary 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Recent Advances in Wearable Transdermal Delivery Systems

Amjadi, M., Sheykhansari, S., Nelson, B. J., Sitti, M.

Advanced Materials, 30(7):1704530, January 2018 (article)

Abstract

Abstract Wearable transdermal delivery systems have recently received tremendous attention due to their noninvasive, convenient, and prolonged administration of pharmacological agents. Here, the material prospects, fabrication processes, and drug‐release mechanisms of these types of therapeutic delivery systems are critically reviewed. The latest progress in the development of multifunctional wearable devices capable of closed‐loop sensation and drug delivery is also discussed. This survey reveals that wearable transdermal delivery has already made an impact in diverse healthcare applications, while several grand challenges remain.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Amjadi, M., Sheykhansari, S., Nelson, B. J., Sitti, M. Recent Advances in Wearable Transdermal Delivery Systems Advanced Materials, 30(7):1704530, January 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Deep EndoVO: A recurrent convolutional neural network (RCNN) based visual odometry approach for endoscopic capsule robots

Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M.

Neurocomputing, 275, pages: 1861 - 1870, January 2018 (article)

Abstract

Ingestible wireless capsule endoscopy is an emerging minimally invasive diagnostic technology for inspection of the GI tract and diagnosis of a wide range of diseases and pathologies. Medical device companies and many research groups have recently made substantial progresses in converting passive capsule endoscopes to active capsule robots, enabling more accurate, precise, and intuitive detection of the location and size of the diseased areas. Since a reliable real time pose estimation functionality is crucial for actively controlled endoscopic capsule robots, in this study, we propose a monocular visual odometry (VO) method for endoscopic capsule robot operations. Our method lies on the application of the deep recurrent convolutional neural networks (RCNNs) for the visual odometry task, where convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are used for the feature extraction and inference of dynamics across the frames, respectively. Detailed analyses and evaluations made on a real pig stomach dataset proves that our system achieves high translational and rotational accuracies for different types of endoscopic capsule robot trajectories.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M. Deep EndoVO: A recurrent convolutional neural network (RCNN) based visual odometry approach for endoscopic capsule robots Neurocomputing, 275, pages: 1861 - 1870, January 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Small-scale soft-bodied robot with multimodal locomotion

Hu, W., Lum, G. Z., Mastrangeli, M., Sitti, M.

Nature, 554, pages: 81-85, Nature, January 2018 (article)

Abstract

Untethered small-scale (from several millimetres down to a few micrometres in all dimensions) robots that can non-invasively access confined, enclosed spaces may enable applications in microfactories such as the construction of tissue scaffolds by robotic assembly1, in bioengineering such as single-cell manipulation and biosensing2, and in healthcare3,4,5,6 such as targeted drug delivery4 and minimally invasive surgery3,5. Existing small-scale robots, however, have very limited mobility because they are unable to negotiate obstacles and changes in texture or material in unstructured environments7,8,9,10,11,12,13. Of these small-scale robots, soft robots have greater potential to realize high mobility via multimodal locomotion, because such machines have higher degrees of freedom than their rigid counterparts14,15,16. Here we demonstrate magneto-elastic soft millimetre-scale robots that can swim inside and on the surface of liquids, climb liquid menisci, roll and walk on solid surfaces, jump over obstacles, and crawl within narrow tunnels. These robots can transit reversibly between different liquid and solid terrains, as well as switch between locomotive modes. They can additionally execute pick-and-place and cargo-release tasks. We also present theoretical models to explain how the robots move. Like the large-scale robots that can be used to study locomotion17, these soft small-scale robots could be used to study soft-bodied locomotion produced by small organisms.

link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

pi Hu, W., Lum, G. Z., Mastrangeli, M., Sitti, M. Small-scale soft-bodied robot with multimodal locomotion Nature, 554, pages: 81-85, Nature, January 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Light‐Driven Janus Hollow Mesoporous TiO2–Au Microswimmers

Sridhar, V., Park, B., Sitti, M.

Advanced Functional Materials, 0(0):1704902, January 2018 (article)

Abstract

Abstract Light‐driven microswimmers have garnered attention for their potential use in various applications, such as environmental remediation, hydrogen evolution, and targeted drug delivery. Janus hollow mesoporous TiO2/Au (JHP–TiO2–Au) microswimmers with enhanced swimming speeds under low‐intensity ultraviolet (UV) light are presented. The swimmers show enhanced swimming speeds both in presence and absence of H2O2. The microswimmers move due to self‐electrophoresis when UV light is incident on them. There is a threefold increase in speed of JHP–TiO2–Au microswimmers in comparison with Janus solid TiO2/Au (JS–TiO2–Au) microswimmers. This increase in their speed is due to the increase in surface area of the porous swimmers and their hollow structure. These microswimmers are also made steerable by using a thin Co magnetic layer. They can be used in potential environmental applications for active photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and targeted active drug delivery of an anticancer drug (doxurobicin) in vitro in H2O2 solution. Their increased speed from the presence of a hollow mesoporous structure is beneficial for future potential applications, such as hydrogen evolution, selective heterogeneous photocatalysis, and targeted cargo delivery.

link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

pi Sridhar, V., Park, B., Sitti, M. Light‐Driven Janus Hollow Mesoporous TiO2–Au Microswimmers Advanced Functional Materials, 0(0):1704902, January 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Mechanical Rubbing of Blood Clots Using Helical Robots Under Ultrasound Guidance

Khalil, I. S. M., Mahdy, D., Sharkawy, A. E., Moustafa, R. R., Tabak, A. F., Mitwally, M. E., Hesham, S., Hamdi, N., Klingner, A., Mohamed, A., Sitti, M.

IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 3(2):1112-1119, January 2018 (article)

Abstract

A simple way to mitigate the potential negative sideeffects associated with chemical lysis of a blood clot is to tear its fibrin network via mechanical rubbing using a helical robot. Here, we achieve mechanical rubbing of blood clots under ultrasound guidance and using external magnetic actuation. Position of the helical robot is determined using ultrasound feedback and used to control its motion toward the clot, whereas the volume of the clots is estimated simultaneously using visual feedback. We characterize the shear modulus and ultimate shear strength of the blood clots to predict their removal rate during rubbing. Our in vitro experiments show the ability to move the helical robot controllably toward clots using ultrasound feedback with average and maximum errors of 0.84 ± 0.41 and 2.15 mm, respectively, and achieve removal rate of -0.614 ± 0.303 mm3/min at room temperature (25 °C) and -0.482 ± 0.23 mm3/min at body temperature (37 °C), under the influence of two rotating dipole fields at frequency of 35 Hz. We also validate the effectiveness of mechanical rubbing by measuring the number of red blood cells and platelets past the clot. Our measurements show that rubbing achieves cell count of (46 ± 10.9) × 104 cell/ml, whereas the count in the absence of rubbing is (2 ± 1.41) × 104 cell/ml, after 40 min.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Khalil, I. S. M., Mahdy, D., Sharkawy, A. E., Moustafa, R. R., Tabak, A. F., Mitwally, M. E., Hesham, S., Hamdi, N., Klingner, A., Mohamed, A., Sitti, M. Mechanical Rubbing of Blood Clots Using Helical Robots Under Ultrasound Guidance IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 3(2):1112-1119, January 2018 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Method and device for reversibly attaching a phase changing metal to an object

Zhou Ye, G. Z. L. M. S.

US Patent Application US 2018/0021892 A1, January 2018 (patent)

Abstract

A method for reversibly attaching a phase changing metal to an object, the method comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having at least one surface at which the phase changing metal is attached, heating the phase changing metal above a phase changing temperature at which the phase changing metal changes its phase from solid to liquid, bringing the phase changing metal, when the phase changing metal is in the liquid phase or before the phase changing metal is brought into the liquid phase, into contact with the object, permitting the phase changing metal to cool below the phase changing temperature, whereby the phase changing metal becomes solid and the object and the phase changing metal become attached to each other, reheating the phase changing metal above the phase changing temperature to liquefy the phase changing metal, and removing the substrate from the object, with the phase changing metal separating from the object and remaining with the substrate.

US Patent Application Database US Patent Application (PDF) [BibTex]

pi Zhou Ye, G. Z. L. M. S. Method and device for reversibly attaching a phase changing metal to an object US Patent Application US 2018/0021892 A1, January 2018 (patent)

US Patent Application Database US Patent Application (PDF) [BibTex]

Method of fabricating a shape-changeable magentic member, method of producing a shape changeable magnetic member and shape changeable magnetic member

Guo Zhan Lum, Z. Y. M. S.

US Patent Application US 2018/0012693 A1, January 2018 (patent)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a shape-changeable magnetic member comprising a plurality of segments with each segment being able to be magnetized with a desired magnitude and orientation of magnetization, to a method of producing a shape changeable magnetic member composed of a plurality of segments and to a shape changeable magnetic member.

US Patent Application Database US Patent Application (PDF) [BibTex]

pi Guo Zhan Lum, Z. Y. M. S. Method of fabricating a shape-changeable magentic member, method of producing a shape changeable magnetic member and shape changeable magnetic member US Patent Application US 2018/0012693 A1, January 2018 (patent)

US Patent Application Database US Patent Application (PDF) [BibTex]

Morphological intelligence counters foot slipping in the desert locust and dynamic robots

Woodward, M. A., Sitti, M.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115, 2018 (article)

Abstract

During dynamic terrestrial locomotion, animals use complex multifunctional feet to extract friction from the environment. However, whether roboticists assume sufficient surface friction for locomotion or actively compensate for slipping, they use relatively simple point-contact feet. We seek to understand and extract the morphological adaptations of animal feet that contribute to enhancing friction on diverse surfaces, such as the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) [Bennet-Clark HC (1975) J Exp Biol 63:53–83], which has both wet adhesive pads and spines. A buckling region in their knee to accommodate slipping [Bayley TG, Sutton GP, Burrows M (2012) J Exp Biol 215:1151–1161], slow nerve conduction velocity (0.5–3 m/s) [Pearson KG, Stein RB, Malhotra SK (1970) J Exp Biol 53:299–316], and an ecological pressure to enhance jumping performance for survival [Hawlena D, Kress H, Dufresne ER, Schmitz OJ (2011) Funct Ecol 25:279–288] further suggest that the locust operates near the limits of its surface friction, but without sufficient time to actively control its feet. Therefore, all surface adaptation must be through passive mechanics (morphological intelligence), which are unknown. Here, we report the slipping behavior, dynamic attachment, passive mechanics, and interplay between the spines and adhesive pads, studied through both biological and robotic experiments, which contribute to the locust’s ability to jump robustly from diverse surfaces. We found slipping to be surface-dependent and common (e.g., wood 1.32 ± 1.19 slips per jump), yet the morphological intelligence of the feet produces a significant chance to reengage the surface (e.g., wood 1.10 ± 1.13 reengagements per jump). Additionally, a discovered noncontact-type jump, further studied robotically, broadens the applicability of the morphological adaptations to both static and dynamic attachment.

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

pi Woodward, M. A., Sitti, M. Morphological intelligence counters foot slipping in the desert locust and dynamic robots Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115, 2018 (article)

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

2017

Swimming Back and Forth Using Planar Flagellar Propulsion at Low Reynolds Numbers

Khalil, I. S. M., Tabak, A. F., Hamed, Y., Mitwally, M. E., Tawakol, M., Klingner, A., Sitti, M.

Advanced Science, 5(2):1700461, December 2017 (article)

Abstract

Abstract Peritrichously flagellated Escherichia coli swim back and forth by wrapping their flagella together in a helical bundle. However, other monotrichous bacteria cannot swim back and forth with a single flagellum and planar wave propagation. Quantifying this observation, a magnetically driven soft two‐tailed microrobot capable of reversing its swimming direction without making a U‐turn trajectory or actively modifying the direction of wave propagation is designed and developed. The microrobot contains magnetic microparticles within the polymer matrix of its head and consists of two collinear, unequal, and opposite ultrathin tails. It is driven and steered using a uniform magnetic field along the direction of motion with a sinusoidally varying orthogonal component. Distinct reversal frequencies that enable selective and independent excitation of the first or the second tail of the microrobot based on their tail length ratio are found. While the first tail provides a propulsive force below one of the reversal frequencies, the second is almost passive, and the net propulsive force achieves flagellated motion along one direction. On the other hand, the second tail achieves flagellated propulsion along the opposite direction above the reversal frequency.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

2017

pi Khalil, I. S. M., Tabak, A. F., Hamed, Y., Mitwally, M. E., Tawakol, M., Klingner, A., Sitti, M. Swimming Back and Forth Using Planar Flagellar Propulsion at Low Reynolds Numbers Advanced Science, 5(2):1700461, December 2017 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

A deep learning based fusion of RGB camera information and magnetic localization information for endoscopic capsule robots

Turan, M., Shabbir, J., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M.

International Journal of Intelligent Robotics and Applications, 1(4):442-450, December 2017 (article)

Abstract

A reliable, real time localization functionality is crutial for actively controlled capsule endoscopy robots, which are an emerging, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic technology for the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this study, we extend the success of deep learning approaches from various research fields to the problem of sensor fusion for endoscopic capsule robots. We propose a multi-sensor fusion based localization approach which combines endoscopic camera information and magnetic sensor based localization information. The results performed on real pig stomach dataset show that our method achieves sub-millimeter precision for both translational and rotational movements.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Shabbir, J., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M. A deep learning based fusion of RGB camera information and magnetic localization information for endoscopic capsule robots International Journal of Intelligent Robotics and Applications, 1(4):442-450, December 2017 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Biohybrid actuators for robotics: A review of devices actuated by living cells

Ricotti, L., Trimmer, B., Feinberg, A. W., Raman, R., Parker, K. K., Bashir, R., Sitti, M., Martel, S., Dario, P., Menciassi, A.

Science Robotics, 2(12), Science Robotics, November 2017 (article)

Abstract

Actuation is essential for artificial machines to interact with their surrounding environment and to accomplish the functions for which they are designed. Over the past few decades, there has been considerable progress in developing new actuation technologies. However, controlled motion still represents a considerable bottleneck for many applications and hampers the development of advanced robots, especially at small length scales. Nature has solved this problem using molecular motors that, through living cells, are assembled into multiscale ensembles with integrated control systems. These systems can scale force production from piconewtons up to kilonewtons. By leveraging the performance of living cells and tissues and directly interfacing them with artificial components, it should be possible to exploit the intricacy and metabolic efficiency of biological actuation within artificial machines. We provide a survey of important advances in this biohybrid actuation paradigm.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Ricotti, L., Trimmer, B., Feinberg, A. W., Raman, R., Parker, K. K., Bashir, R., Sitti, M., Martel, S., Dario, P., Menciassi, A. Biohybrid actuators for robotics: A review of devices actuated by living cells Science Robotics, 2(12), Science Robotics, November 2017 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Multifunctional Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers for Targeted Active Drug Delivery

Park, B., Zhuang, J., Yasa, O., Sitti, M.

ACS Nano, 11(9):8910-8923, September 2017, PMID: 28873304 (article)

Abstract

High-performance, multifunctional bacteria-driven microswimmers are introduced using an optimized design and fabrication method for targeted drug delivery applications. These microswimmers are made of mostly single Escherichia coli bacterium attached to the surface of drug-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) microparticles with embedded magnetic nanoparticles. The PEM drug carriers are 1 μm in diameter and are intentionally fabricated with a more viscoelastic material than the particles previously studied in the literature. The resulting stochastic microswimmers are able to swim at mean speeds of up to 22.5 μm/s. They can be guided and targeted to specific cells, because they exhibit biased and directional motion under a chemoattractant gradient and a magnetic field, respectively. Moreover, we demonstrate the microswimmers delivering doxorubicin anticancer drug molecules, encapsulated in the polyelectrolyte multilayers, to 4T1 breast cancer cells under magnetic guidance in vitro. The results reveal the feasibility of using these active multifunctional bacteria-driven microswimmers to perform targeted drug delivery with significantly enhanced drug transfer, when compared with the passive PEM microparticles.

link (url) DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

pi Park, B., Zhuang, J., Yasa, O., Sitti, M. Multifunctional Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers for Targeted Active Drug Delivery ACS Nano, 11(9):8910-8923, September 2017, PMID: 28873304 (article)

link (url) DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

EndoSensorFusion: Particle Filtering-Based Multi-sensory Data Fusion with Switching State-Space Model for Endoscopic Capsule Robots

Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Gilbert, H., Araujo, H., Cemgil, T., Sitti, M.

ArXiv e-prints, September 2017 (article)

Abstract

A reliable, real time multi-sensor fusion functionality is crucial for localization of actively controlled capsule endoscopy robots, which are an emerging, minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic technology for the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this study, we propose a novel multi-sensor fusion approach based on a particle filter that incorporates an online estimation of sensor reliability and a non-linear kinematic model learned by a recurrent neural network. Our method sequentially estimates the true robot pose from noisy pose observations delivered by multiple sensors. We experimentally test the method using 5 degree-of-freedom (5-DoF) absolute pose measurement by a magnetic localization system and a 6-DoF relative pose measurement by visual odometry. In addition, the proposed method is capable of detecting and handling sensor failures by ignoring corrupted data, providing the robustness expected of a medical device. Detailed analyses and evaluations are presented using ex-vivo experiments on a porcine stomach model prove that our system achieves high translational and rotational accuracies for different types of endoscopic capsule robot trajectories.

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Gilbert, H., Araujo, H., Cemgil, T., Sitti, M. EndoSensorFusion: Particle Filtering-Based Multi-sensory Data Fusion with Switching State-Space Model for Endoscopic Capsule Robots ArXiv e-prints, September 2017 (article)

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

Endo-VMFuseNet: Deep Visual-Magnetic Sensor Fusion Approach for Uncalibrated, Unsynchronized and Asymmetric Endoscopic Capsule Robot Localization Data

Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Gilbert, H., Eren Sari, A., Soylu, U., Sitti, M.

ArXiv e-prints, September 2017 (article)

Abstract

In the last decade, researchers and medical device companies have made major advances towards transforming passive capsule endoscopes into active medical robots. One of the major challenges is to endow capsule robots with accurate perception of the environment inside the human body, which will provide necessary information and enable improved medical procedures. We extend the success of deep learning approaches from various research fields to the problem of uncalibrated, asynchronous, and asymmetric sensor fusion for endoscopic capsule robots. The results performed on real pig stomach datasets show that our method achieves sub-millimeter precision for both translational and rotational movements and contains various advantages over traditional sensor fusion techniques.

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Almalioglu, Y., Gilbert, H., Eren Sari, A., Soylu, U., Sitti, M. Endo-VMFuseNet: Deep Visual-Magnetic Sensor Fusion Approach for Uncalibrated, Unsynchronized and Asymmetric Endoscopic Capsule Robot Localization Data ArXiv e-prints, September 2017 (article)

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

Magnetotactic Bacteria Powered Biohybrids Target E. coli Biofilms

Stanton, M. M., Park, B., Vilela, D., Bente, K., Faivre, D., Sitti, M., Sánchez, S.

ACS Nano, 0(0):null, September 2017, PMID: 28933815 (article)

Abstract

Biofilm colonies are typically resistant to general antibiotic treatment and require targeted methods for their removal. One of these methods includes the use of nanoparticles as carriers for antibiotic delivery, where they randomly circulate in fluid until they make contact with the infected areas. However, the required proximity of the particles to the biofilm results in only moderate efficacy. We demonstrate here that the nonpathogenic magnetotactic bacteria Magnetosopirrillum gryphiswalense (MSR-1) can be integrated with drug-loaded mesoporous silica microtubes to build controllable microswimmers (biohybrids) capable of antibiotic delivery to target an infectious biofilm. Applying external magnetic guidance capability and swimming power of the MSR-1 cells, the biohybrids are directed to and forcefully pushed into matured Escherichia coli (E. coli) biofilms. Release of the antibiotic, ciprofloxacin, is triggered by the acidic microenvironment of the biofilm, ensuring an efficient drug delivery system. The results reveal the capabilities of a nonpathogenic bacteria species to target and dismantle harmful biofilms, indicating biohybrid systems have great potential for antibiofilm applications.

link (url) DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

pi Stanton, M. M., Park, B., Vilela, D., Bente, K., Faivre, D., Sitti, M., Sánchez, S. Magnetotactic Bacteria Powered Biohybrids Target E. coli Biofilms ACS Nano, 0(0):null, September 2017, PMID: 28933815 (article)

link (url) DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

Swimming in low reynolds numbers using planar and helical flagellar waves

Khalil, I. S. M., Tabak, A. F., Seif, M. A., Klingner, A., Adel, B., Sitti, M.

In International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2017, pages: 1907-1912, International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, September 2017 (inproceedings)

Abstract

In travelling towards the oviducts, sperm cells undergo transitions between planar to helical flagellar propulsion by a beating tail based on the viscosity of the environment. In this work, we aim to model and mimic this behaviour in low Reynolds number fluids using externally actuated soft robotic sperms. We numerically investigate the effects of transition between planar to helical flagellar propulsion on the swimming characteristics of the robotic sperm using a model based on resistive-force theory to study the role of viscous forces on its flexible tail. Experimental results are obtained using robots that contain magnetic particles within the polymer matrix of its head and an ultra-thin flexible tail. The planar and helical flagellar propulsion are achieved using in-plane and out-of-plane uniform fields with sinusoidally varying components, respectively. We experimentally show that the swimming speed of the robotic sperm increases by a factor of 1.4 (fluid viscosity 5 Pa.s) when it undergoes a controlled transition between planar to helical flagellar propulsion, at relatively low actuation frequencies.

DOI [BibTex]

pi Khalil, I. S. M., Tabak, A. F., Seif, M. A., Klingner, A., Adel, B., Sitti, M. Swimming in low reynolds numbers using planar and helical flagellar waves In International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2017, pages: 1907-1912, International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, September 2017 (inproceedings)

DOI [BibTex]

Sparse-then-Dense Alignment based 3D Map Reconstruction Method for Endoscopic Capsule Robots

Turan, M., Yigit Pilavci, Y., Ganiyusufoglu, I., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M.

ArXiv e-prints, August 2017 (article)

Abstract

Since the development of capsule endoscopcy technology, substantial progress were made in converting passive capsule endoscopes to robotic active capsule endoscopes which can be controlled by the doctor. However, robotic capsule endoscopy still has some challenges. In particular, the use of such devices to generate a precise and globally consistent three-dimensional (3D) map of the entire inner organ remains an unsolved problem. Such global 3D maps of inner organs would help doctors to detect the location and size of diseased areas more accurately, precisely, and intuitively, thus permitting more accurate and intuitive diagnoses. The proposed 3D reconstruction system is built in a modular fashion including preprocessing, frame stitching, and shading-based 3D reconstruction modules. We propose an efficient scheme to automatically select the key frames out of the huge quantity of raw endoscopic images. Together with a bundle fusion approach that aligns all the selected key frames jointly in a globally consistent way, a significant improvement of the mosaic and 3D map accuracy was reached. To the best of our knowledge, this framework is the first complete pipeline for an endoscopic capsule robot based 3D map reconstruction containing all of the necessary steps for a reliable and accurate endoscopic 3D map. For the qualitative evaluations, a real pig stomach is employed. Moreover, for the first time in literature, a detailed and comprehensive quantitative analysis of each proposed pipeline modules is performed using a non-rigid esophagus gastro duodenoscopy simulator, four different endoscopic cameras, a magnetically activated soft capsule robot (MASCE), a sub-millimeter precise optical motion tracker and a fine-scale 3D optical scanner.

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

pi Turan, M., Yigit Pilavci, Y., Ganiyusufoglu, I., Araujo, H., Konukoglu, E., Sitti, M. Sparse-then-Dense Alignment based 3D Map Reconstruction Method for Endoscopic Capsule Robots ArXiv e-prints, August 2017 (article)

link (url) Project Page [BibTex]

An XY ϴz flexure mechanism with optimal stiffness properties

Lum, G. Z., Pham, M. T., Teo, T. J., Yang, G., Yeo, S. H., Sitti, M.

In 2017 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), pages: 1103-1110, July 2017 (inproceedings)

Abstract

The development of optimal XY θz flexure mechanisms, which can deliver high precision motion about the z-axis, and along the x- and y-axes is highly desirable for a wide range of micro/nano-positioning tasks pertaining to biomedical research, microscopy technologies and various industrial applications. Although maximizing the stiffness ratios is a very critical design requirement, the achievable translational and rotational stiffness ratios of existing XY θz flexure mechanisms are still restricted between 0.5 and 130. As a result, these XY θz flexure mechanisms are unable to fully optimize their workspace and capabilities to reject disturbances. Here, we present an optimal XY θz flexure mechanism, which is designed to have maximum stiffness ratios. Based on finite element analysis (FEA), it has translational stiffness ratio of 248, rotational stiffness ratio of 238 and a large workspace of 2.50 mm × 2.50 mm × 10°. Despite having such a large workspace, FEA also predicts that the proposed mechanism can still achieve a high bandwidth of 70 Hz. In comparison, the bandwidth of similar existing flexure mechanisms that can deflect more than 0.5 mm or 0.5° is typically less than 45 Hz. Hence, the high stiffness ratios of the proposed mechanism are achieved without compromising its dynamic performance. Preliminary experimental results pertaining to the mechanism's translational actuating stiffness and bandwidth were in agreement with the FEA predictions as the deviation was within 10%. In conclusion, the proposed flexure mechanism exhibits superior performance and can be used across a wide range of applications.

DOI [BibTex]

pi Lum, G. Z., Pham, M. T., Teo, T. J., Yang, G., Yeo, S. H., Sitti, M. An XY ϴz flexure mechanism with optimal stiffness properties In 2017 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), pages: 1103-1110, July 2017 (inproceedings)

DOI [BibTex]

Positioning of drug carriers using permanent magnet-based robotic system in three-dimensional space

Khalil, I. S. M., Alfar, A., Tabak, A. F., Klingner, A., Stramigioli, S., Sitti, M.

In 2017 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), pages: 1117-1122, July 2017 (inproceedings)

Abstract

Magnetic control of drug carriers using systems with open-configurations is essential to enable scaling to the size of in vivo applications. In this study, we demonstrate motion control of paramagnetic microparticles in a low Reynolds number fluid, using a permanent magnet-based robotic system with an open-configuration. The microparticles are controlled in three-dimensional (3D) space using a cylindrical NdFeB magnet that is fixed to the end-effector of a robotic arm. We develop a kinematic map between the position of the microparticles and the configuration of the robotic arm, and use this map as a basis of a closed-loop control system based on the position of the microparticles. Our experimental results show the ability of the robot configuration to control the exerted field gradient on the dipole of the microparticles, and achieve positioning in 3D space with maximum error of 300 µm and 600 µm in the steady-state during setpoint and trajectory tracking, respectively.

DOI [BibTex]

pi Khalil, I. S. M., Alfar, A., Tabak, A. F., Klingner, A., Stramigioli, S., Sitti, M. Positioning of drug carriers using permanent magnet-based robotic system in three-dimensional space In 2017 IEEE International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM), pages: 1117-1122, July 2017 (inproceedings)

DOI [BibTex]

Dynamic analysis on hexapedal water-running robot with compliant joints

Kim, H., Liu, Y., Jeong, K., Sitti, M., Seo, T.

In 2017 14th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots and Ambient Intelligence (URAI), pages: 250-251, June 2017 (inproceedings)

Abstract

The dynamic analysis has been considered as one of the important design methods to design robots. In this research, we derive dynamic equation of hexapedal water-running robot to design compliant joints. The compliant joints that connect three bodies will be used to improve mobility and stability of water-running motion's pitch behavior. We considered all of parts as rigid body including links of six Klann mechanisms and three main frames. And then, we derived dynamic equation by using the Lagrangian method with external force of the water. We are expecting that the dynamic analysis is going to be used to design parts of the water running robot.

DOI [BibTex]

pi Kim, H., Liu, Y., Jeong, K., Sitti, M., Seo, T. Dynamic analysis on hexapedal water-running robot with compliant joints In 2017 14th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots and Ambient Intelligence (URAI), pages: 250-251, June 2017 (inproceedings)

DOI [BibTex]

Soiled adhesive pads shear clean by slipping: a robust self-cleaning mechanism in climbing beetles

Amador, G., Endlein, T., Sitti, M.

Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 14(131):20170134, The Royal Society, June 2017 (article)

Abstract

Animals using adhesive pads to climb smooth surfaces face the problem of keeping their pads clean and functional. Here, a self-cleaning mechanism is proposed whereby soiled feet would slip on the surface due to a lack of adhesion but shed particles in return. Our study offers an in situ quantification of self-cleaning performance in fibrillar adhesives, using the dock beetle as a model organism. After beetles soiled their pads by stepping into patches of spherical beads, we found that their gait was significantly affected. Specifically, soiled pads slipped 10 times further than clean pads, with more particles deposited for longer slips. Like previous studies, we found that particle size affected cleaning performance. Large (45 μm) beads were removed most effectively, followed by medium (10 μm) and small (1 μm). Consistent with our results from climbing beetles, force measurements on freshly severed legs revealed larger detachment forces of medium particles from adhesive pads compared to a flat surface, possibly due to interlocking between fibres. By contrast, dock leaves showed an overall larger affinity to the beads and thus reduced the need for cleaning. Self-cleaning through slippage provides a mechanism robust to particle size and may inspire solutions for artificial adhesives.

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

pi Amador, G., Endlein, T., Sitti, M. Soiled adhesive pads shear clean by slipping: a robust self-cleaning mechanism in climbing beetles Journal of The Royal Society Interface, 14(131):20170134, The Royal Society, June 2017 (article)

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Yield prediction in parallel homogeneous assembly

Ipparthi, D., Winslow, A., Sitti, M., Dorigo, M., Mastrangeli, M.

Soft Matter, 13, pages: 7595-7608, The Royal Society of Chemistry, June 2017 (article)

Abstract

We investigate the parallel assembly of two-dimensional{,} geometrically-closed modular target structures out of homogeneous sets of macroscopic components of varying anisotropy. The yield predicted by a chemical reaction network (CRN)-based model is quantitatively shown to reproduce experimental results over a large set of conditions. Scaling laws for parallel assembling systems are then derived from the model. By extending the validity of the CRN-based modelling{,} this work prompts analysis and solutions to the incompatible substructure problem.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Ipparthi, D., Winslow, A., Sitti, M., Dorigo, M., Mastrangeli, M. Yield prediction in parallel homogeneous assembly Soft Matter, 13, pages: 7595-7608, The Royal Society of Chemistry, June 2017 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Three‐dimensional patterning in biomedicine: Importance and applications in neuropharmacology

Ajay, V. S., Tanmay, G., Madu, B., Byung‐Wook, P., Thomas, E., Metin, S.

Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 106(3):1369-1382, June 2017 (article)

Abstract

Abstract Nature manufactures biological systems in three dimensions with precisely controlled spatiotemporal profiles on hierarchical length and time scales. In this article, we review 3D patterning of biological systems on synthetic platforms for neuropharmacological applications. We briefly describe 3D versus 2D chemical and topographical patterning methods and their limitations. Subsequently, an overview of introducing a third dimension in neuropharmacological research with delineation of chemical and topographical roles is presented. Finally, toward the end of this article, an explanation of how 3D patterning has played a pivotal role in relevant fields of neuropharmacology to understand neurophysiology during development, normal health, and disease conditions is described. The future prospects of organs‐on‐a‐‐like devices to mimic patterned blood–brain barrier in the context of neurotherapeutic discovery and development for the prioritization of lead candidates, membrane potential, and toxicity testing are also described. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1369–1382, 2018.

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

pi Ajay, V. S., Tanmay, G., Madu, B., Byung‐Wook, P., Thomas, E., Metin, S. Three‐dimensional patterning in biomedicine: Importance and applications in neuropharmacology Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 106(3):1369-1382, June 2017 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]

Tail-Assisted Mobility and Stability Enhancement in Yaw/Pitch Motions of a Water-Running Robot

Kim, H., Sitti, M., Seo, T.

IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 22, IEEE, June 2017 (article)

Abstract

Water-running robots have been developed inspired by a basilisk lizard, which demonstrates highly agile, stable, and energy-efficient locomotion on water surfaces. Current water-running robots are not as stable and agile as their biological counterparts. This study shows how the stability of a water-running robot in the pitch direction can be improved by using an active tail to enable increased propulsion. The mobility of the robot is also increased. To generate force in the pitch and yaw directions, a two-degrees-of-freedom tail is implemented with two circular plates to provide drag. We developed two types of dynamic models for pitch and yaw behavior, and the results are recursively calculated by considering the correlation between the models. The relationship between pitch motion and propulsion was analyzed by simulations. The steering behavior of the robot is also validated while considering the pitch behavior. Experiments were conducted to verify the simulation results.

DOI [BibTex]

pi Kim, H., Sitti, M., Seo, T. Tail-Assisted Mobility and Stability Enhancement in Yaw/Pitch Motions of a Water-Running Robot IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, 22, IEEE, June 2017 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

Scalable Pneumatic and Tendon Driven Robotic Joint Inspired by Jumping Spiders

Spröwitz, A., Göttler, C., Sinha, A., Caer, C., Öztekin, M. U., Petersen, K., Sitti, M.

In Proceedings 2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pages: 64-70, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 2017 (inproceedings)

dlg

Video link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

dlg Spröwitz, A., Göttler, C., Sinha, A., Caer, C., Öztekin, M. U., Petersen, K., Sitti, M. Scalable Pneumatic and Tendon Driven Robotic Joint Inspired by Jumping Spiders In Proceedings 2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pages: 64-70, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 2017 (inproceedings)

Video link (url) DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Design and actuation of a magnetic millirobot under a constant unidirectional magnetic field

Erin, O., Giltinan, J., Tsai, L., Sitti, M.

In Proceedings 2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pages: 3404-3410, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 2017 (inproceedings)

Abstract

Magnetic untethered millirobots, which are actuated and controlled by remote magnetic fields, have been proposed for medical applications due to their ability to safely pass through tissues at long ranges. For example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems with a 3-7 T constant unidirectional magnetic field and 3D gradient coils have been used to actuate magnetic robots. Such magnetically constrained systems place limits on the degrees of freedom that can be actuated for untethered devices. This paper presents a design and actuation methodology for a magnetic millirobot that exhibits both position and orientation control in 2D under a magnetic field, dominated by a constant unidirectional magnetic field as found in MRI systems. Placing a spherical permanent magnet, which is free to rotate inside the millirobot and located away from the center of mass, allows the generation of net forces and torques with applied 3D magnetic field gradients. We model this system in a 3D planar case and experimentally demonstrate open-loop control of both position and orientation by the applied 2D field gradients. The actuation performance is characterized across the most important design variables, and we experimentally demonstrate that the proposed approach is feasible.

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

pi Erin, O., Giltinan, J., Tsai, L., Sitti, M. Design and actuation of a magnetic millirobot under a constant unidirectional magnetic field In Proceedings 2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pages: 3404-3410, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 2017 (inproceedings)

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Magnetically actuated soft capsule endoscope for fine-needle aspiration biopsy

Son, D., Dogan, M. D., Sitti, M.

In Proceedings 2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pages: 1132-1139, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 2017 (inproceedings)

Abstract

This paper presents a magnetically actuated soft capsule endoscope for fine-needle aspiration biopsy (B-MASCE) in the upper gastrointestinal tract. A thin and hollow needle is attached to the capsule, which can penetrate deeply into tissues to obtain subsurface biopsy sample. The design utilizes a soft elastomer body as a compliant mechanism to guide the needle. An internal permanent magnet provides a means for both actuation and tracking. The capsule is designed to roll towards its target and then deploy the biopsy needle in a precise location selected as the target area. B-MASCE is controlled by multiple custom-designed electromagnets while its position and orientation are tracked by a magnetic sensor array. In in vitro trials, B-MASCE demonstrated rolling locomotion and biopsy of a swine tissue model positioned inside an anatomical human stomach model. It was confirmed after the experiment that a tissue sample was retained inside the needle.

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

pi Son, D., Dogan, M. D., Sitti, M. Magnetically actuated soft capsule endoscope for fine-needle aspiration biopsy In Proceedings 2017 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pages: 1132-1139, IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), May 2017 (inproceedings)

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

Propulsion and Chemotaxis in Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers

Zhuang, J., Park, B., Sitti, M.

Advanced Science, May 2017 (article)

Abstract

Despite the large body of experimental work recently on biohybrid microsystems, few studies have focused on theoretical modeling of such systems, which is essential to understand their underlying functioning mechanisms and hence design them optimally for a given application task. Therefore, this study focuses on developing a mathematical model to describe the 3D motion and chemotaxis of a type of widely studied biohybrid microswimmer, where spherical microbeads are driven by multiple attached bacteria. The model is developed based on the biophysical observations of the experimental system and is validated by comparing the model simulation with experimental 3D swimming trajectories and other motility characteristics, including mean squared displacement, speed, diffusivity, and turn angle. The chemotaxis modeling results of the microswimmers also agree well with the experiments, where a collective chemotactic behavior among multiple bacteria is observed. The simulation result implies that such collective chemotaxis behavior is due to a synchronized signaling pathway across the bacteria attached to the same microswimmer. Furthermore, the dependencies of the motility and chemotaxis of the microswimmers on certain system parameters, such as the chemoattractant concentration gradient, swimmer body size, and number of attached bacteria, toward an optimized design of such biohybrid system are studied. The optimized microswimmers would be used in targeted cargo, e.g., drug, imaging agent, gene, and RNA, transport and delivery inside the stagnant or low-velocity fluids of the human body as one of their potential biomedical applications.

DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

pi Zhuang, J., Park, B., Sitti, M. Propulsion and Chemotaxis in Bacteria-Driven Microswimmers Advanced Science, May 2017 (article)

DOI Project Page Project Page [BibTex]

Dynamic and programmable self-assembly of micro-rafts at the air-water interface

Wang, W., Giltinan, J., Zakharchenko, S., Sitti, M.

Science Advances, 3(5):e1602522, American Association for the Advancement of Science, May 2017 (article)

Abstract

Dynamic self-assembled material systems constantly consume energy to maintain their spatiotemporal structures and functions. Programmable self-assembly translates information from individual parts to the collective whole. Combining dynamic and programmable self-assembly in a single platform opens up the possibilities to investigate both types of self-assembly simultaneously and to explore their synergy. This task is challenging because of the difficulty in finding suitable interactions that are both dissipative and programmable. We present a dynamic and programmable self-assembling material system consisting of spinning at the air-water interface circular magnetic micro-rafts of radius 50 μm and with cosinusoidal edge-height profiles. The cosinusoidal edge-height profiles not only create a net dissipative capillary repulsion that is sustained by continuous torque input but also enable directional assembly of micro-rafts. We uncover the layered arrangement of micro-rafts in the patterns formed by dynamic self-assembly and offer mechanistic insights through a physical model and geometric analysis. Furthermore, we demonstrate programmable self-assembly and show that a 4-fold rotational symmetry encoded in individual micro-rafts translates into 90° bending angles and square-based tiling in the assembled structures of micro-rafts. We anticipate that our dynamic and programmable material system will serve as a model system for studying nonequilibrium dynamics and statistical mechanics in the future

DOI Project Page Project Page Project Page [BibTex]