Bioprinting Station With Imaging System For Precise Tissue Deposition

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current bioprinting technologies face challenges in accurately matching the pattern of biological material deposition to the specific features of the area of interest on a substrate, leading to suboptimal tissue repair and regeneration.

Innovation Solution

A Bioprinting station equipped with an imaging system to detect and process images of the substrate, allowing for automated detection of the area of interest and determination of a corresponding pattern for precise deposition of biological material, using Laser-Assisted Bioprinting techniques to enhance accuracy and precision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If automated image detection and processing is implemented to detect the area of interest and determine the deposition pattern, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepattern matching accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning and visual inspection with an automated imaging system that captures images of the substrate, processes them through software algorithms, and automatically determines the deposition pattern. This substitution of mechanical/visual methods with automated optical and computational methods improves precision while the modular design keeps complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The imaging system automatically detects the area of interest and determines the deposition pattern without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by using its own imaging and processing capabilities to guide the bioprinting operation, reducing the need for external calibration and setup procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Manufacturing precision

If Laser-Assisted Bioprinting is used to enhance accuracy and precision of biological material deposition, then manufacturing precision is improved, but use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeposition accuracyVSAvoidlaser energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The laser is applied locally only to the specific area where biological material needs to be deposited, rather than illuminating or processing the entire substrate. This localized application of energy achieves high deposition accuracy while minimizing overall energy consumption by concentrating the laser output only where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The laser operates in a periodic, pulsed manner rather than continuously, delivering energy in discrete bursts synchronized with the bioprinting process. This periodic action allows the system to achieve precise deposition while reducing average energy consumption compared to continuous laser operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables the accurate matching of biological material patterns to the substrate's features, improving the accuracy and effectiveness of tissue repair and regeneration by forming biological tissue structures that correspond to the substrate's geometry, as demonstrated in applications such as bone repair and cell proliferation.

Implementation Method 1

an imaging system adapted to acquire an image of the substrate and to reveal on the acquired image the feature of the area of interest with respect to the remaining part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImage processing: Image Processing

Implementation Method 2

Laser-Assisted Bioprinting (LAB) is based on the laser-induced forward-transfer (LIFT) technique in which a pulsed laser is used to induce the transfer of biological material from a ribbon

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser-induced forward transfer: Laser

Data Source

PatentEP2542659B1Bioprinting station, assembly comprising such bioprinting station and bioprinting method
Publication Date: 2018.03.07 INST NAT DE LA SANTE & DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE (INSERM)
  • EP2542659B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2542659B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2542659B1 patent drawingFigure 4a~4b

AI summary

Bioprinting station (1) comprising: - a Bioprinting device (4) adapted to deposit a pattern of biological material (2) onto an area of interest (3a) of a substrate (3), - an imaging system (15) adapted to acquire an image of the substrate (3) and to reveal on the acquired image the area of interest (3a) with respect to a remaining part (3b) of the substrate (3), the acquired image of the substrate (3) being processed so as to detect the revealed area of interest (3a) on the acquired image and to determine the pattern corresponding to the area of interest (3a) detected on the acquired image.