Microrobot Delivery System With Flexible Guide Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical microrobots and nanorobots face limitations in reaching deep inside the body due to low autonomy, inability to carry sufficient material for drug delivery or biopsy, and limitations in diagnosis technologies, making it difficult to effectively target hard-to-reach locations within the brain and other body parts.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a microrobot navigated by a wire connected to a cap with a flexible elongated element that extends through the body, allowing for the delivery or gathering of materials, energy, or information to or from target points within the body, with a control unit for remote operation and monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If microrobots are made smaller to navigate difficult micro-intrusive routes, then they can reach hard-to-reach locations, but they cannot carry enough material for efficient drug delivery or biopsy
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the microrobot into two functional parts: a small autonomous microrobot for navigation and a larger flexible elongated element for material transport. The microrobot acts as a guide while the flexible element, which can be significantly larger in diameter, carries the necessary material capacity for drug delivery or biopsy sampling.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible elongated element is inserted through the microrobot, with the microrobot guiding the flexible element from the periphery toward the target location deep inside the body. The microrobot essentially nests within or guides the flexible element, combining the navigation capability of the small robot with the material capacity of the larger flexible structure.
2Length of moving object
If microrobots are made smaller due to diagnosis technology limitations, then they can be detected and controlled, but they cannot gather enough material for efficient biopsy
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the detection/navigation function (performed by the small microrobot) from the material gathering function (performed by the larger flexible elongated element). This segmentation allows the microrobot to remain small enough for detection while the flexible element provides sufficient volume for efficient biopsy sampling.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible elongated element acts as an intermediary between the small microrobot and the target tissue. The microrobot guides the flexible element to the target location, and the flexible element's larger diameter enables efficient material gathering while the microrobot remains small for detectability.
3Extent of automation
If microrobots navigate deep inside the body without external guidance, then they achieve higher autonomy, but they cannot reach specific hard-to-reach locations with precision
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elongated element serves as an intermediary that transmits mechanical guidance from the periphery to the deep target location. The microrobot provides autonomous navigation capabilities while the flexible element acts as a extendable guide that maintains directional control from the external operator to the deep target site.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines dynamic autonomous navigation (microrobot) with dynamic extendable guidance (flexible element). The flexible element can be extended or retracted as needed, allowing the microrobot to maintain autonomy while the system adapts to reach different target depths with precise external control when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery and gathering system for at least one target point inside a target body part of a patient, the system including: a microrobot aimed at navigating towards the at least one target point, a cap aimed at being secured to a securing body part of the patient, the cap including a channel which enables to introduce elements into the target body part, or enables to remove elements from inside the target body part, a wire connected to the microrobot and to the cap, and a control unit configured to communicate with the cap, the control unit including a user interface enabling a user to remotely control and navigate the microrobot. The system further includes a flexible elongated element configured to cooperate, by sliding, with the wire in order to extend, from the cap, towards the target point.