| NSF Org: |
IIS Div Of Information & Intelligent Systems |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 29, 2018 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | May 5, 2020 |
| Award Number: | 1763689 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Jie Yang
jyang@nsf.gov (703)292-4768 IIS Div Of Information & Intelligent Systems CSE Direct For Computer & Info Scie & Enginr |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2018 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2023 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,000,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $1,008,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2020 = $8,000.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE # 1100 WEST LAFAYETTE IN US 47906-1332 (765)494-1055 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
IN US 47907-2088 |
| Primary Place of Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
Robust Intelligence, NRI-National Robotics Initiati |
| Primary Program Source: |
01002021DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.070 |
ABSTRACT
Microrobots have many potential applications in applications as diverse as biomedical and advanced manufacturing. While current microrobots can navigate using externally applied magnetic fields, their lack of sensing and manipulation limit their capabilities. In particular, micro-force information is essential for safe biomanipulation, sensing biological processes, and performing microassembly tasks in advanced manufacturing applications. In addition, mobile microrobots that can sense electrical potentials and connections of cells will enable the characterization and study of therapeutic strategies, assisting in the treatment of various cancers. As part of the planned outreach activities, researchers will develop STEM outreach programs with Deaf Kids CODE to help empower deaf/hard of hearing K-12 students.
To this end, the project will create a new class of light responsive polymer magnetic microrobots (LRPMMs) with active end-effectors and dual-mode sensing capabilities. An embedded magnetic body will enable the use of external magnetic fields to control microrobots to navigate in the workspace. The active end-effectors will be made from responsive polymers and actuated by structured light patterns. The polymer structures will be calibrated so vision-based force-sensing techniques can be applied. Additionally, electrochromic properties will be embedded into the polymers to enable detection of electrical potential levels in the environment through their change in color. The proposed research tasks include the design and fabrication of the LRPMMs; optical system development for structured light actuation, sensing, and tracking; and control and experimental validation.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The goal of this research was to advance the state-of-the-art in mobile microrobotics and high-speed 3D optical sensing. The main objectives were the following:
- Objective 1. Design and fabricate a new class of responsive polymer magnetic microrobots (RPMMs): Microrobot geometries and responsive polymer magnetic material synthesis, characterization, and performance testing and evaluation will be conducted to realize this new class of mobile microrobots.
- Objective 2. Targeted micro-scale structured-based 3D sensing of mobile microrobots: New closed-loop high speed structured light pattern techniques for the tracking and deformation sensing of multiple responsive polymer regions on the microrobots will be developed to satisfy the performance requirements of the new RPMM's.
- Objective 3. Control & Experimental validation: develop control schemes utilizing our in-house magnetic manipulation testbeds along with the new structured light pattern generation system; characterize and evaluate the performance of the new class of RPMMs for various types of locomotion and micromanipulation tasks.
Intellectual Merit Outcomes
This research has successfully developed a new family of responsive polymer magnetic microrobots (RPMMs) along with other magnetic-based multi-functional microrobots for biomedical applications. The two classes of RPMMs developed were the Helical Adaptive Multi-Material MicroRobots (HAMMRs) and the Modular Responsive Microrobots. The HAMMRs consist of a hard-magnetic head and helical hydrogel tail that can adapt its geometry to its environment. It locomotes using a rotating magnetic field. The Modular Responsive Microrobots consist of a magnetic base unit and sets of modular end-effectors. A responsive mating component consisting of hydrogel material is used to connect the different end-effector types to the magnetic base for different applications. It is controlled through the use of magnetic field gradients. The Dual Locomotion Mode Multi-Functional Robot (uDMMF) is a novel microrobot that utilizes two distinct magnetic locomotion methods, a combination of rotating and gradient field control, for precise micro-object manipulation using multiple end-effectors. A novel 3D optical sensing system was developed for the high-speed, high-resolution tracking of the microrobot's pose and real-time deformation. Based on structured light patterns, a calibration method to achieve high measurement accuracy was developed along with a focus stacking method to enlarge the depth-of-field (DOF). A novel absolute phase unwrapping algorithm which requires less fringe patterns for higher speed 3D optical sensing and a method to optimize microscopic 3D imaging speed were also created.
Broader Impacts Outcomes
The great many applications for micro-scale robots and systems yield many potential broader impacts of this work. Advances in mechanobiology, automated biomanipulation, cancer cell screening, life science automation, microsurgery, drug delivery, and diagnostic testing with microrobots can impact the healthcare of many. The use of the RPMMs for micromanipulation and assembly of micro-scale components can have impacts in advanced manufacturing areas. It will enable the optimal construction of all sorts of small-scale devices and systems, such as cm-to-mm-scale robots. Additionally, the activities involving students at K-12, undergraduate and graduate levels along with the PI team's dissemination efforts have served to stimulate STEM interest and develop the future STEM workforce.
This project has impacted the educational experiences of 11 graduate students, 12, undergraduate students, 1 high school student, 3 post-doctoral researchers, and 1 visiting scholar who have been involved with it through the life of the award. All have been exposed to and trained on state-of-the-art technology. This project has resulted in 26 peer reviewed journal or juried conference papers. A US patent application was filed and issued based on this research in efforts to translate the developed technology for commercial applications.
Last Modified: 12/08/2023
Modified by: David Cappelleri
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