Jaemin Lee1,Dmitrijs Kozminihs1,Vittorio Francescon1,Alistair Bacchetti1,James Chandler1,Pietro Valdastri1,Russell Harris1
University of Leeds1
Jaemin Lee1,Dmitrijs Kozminihs1,Vittorio Francescon1,Alistair Bacchetti1,James Chandler1,Pietro Valdastri1,Russell Harris1
University of Leeds1
In this talk, a breakthrough in the development of an aqueous solution-based printing medium that enables a novel direct-write method for printing microscale soft continuum robots composed of magnetic metamaterials will be described. The new cost-effective, biocompatible, sustainable printing medium offers exceptional rheological properties to keep the printed high-density magnetic tentacles securely floated in the medium and to maintain the cylindrical cross-section of the printed microscale continuum robots along the length; securing cylindrical cross-section in this scale has been a major bottleneck in additive manufacturing of soft continuum robots. With the utility in direct writing, the outstanding digital printing capability can now dramatically enhance multi-axis navigation capabilities to improve surgical efficacy during operation and reduce patient trauma,<sup>[1]</sup> making this technology more widely accessible. Simultaneously, the new development addresses major challenges such as a considerably limited polymer-based material catalog,<sup>[2]</sup> the high demands for complex chemistry to surround the printed objects in this type of medium-based printing<sup>[3, 4]</sup> and sophisticated modifications of composites to control the printing behavior.<sup>[5]</sup> The latest device performance investigation will also be presented, in conjunction with computational modeling and practical demonstration in physical organ phantoms for surgical interventions in organs such as the pancreas, heart, and brain.<sup>[1, 6, 7]</sup> Here, an external magnetic field via the dual-robot-arm approach will be utilized to remotely manipulate the printed continuum magnetic robots, which will be benchmarked against traditional robots based on molding fabrication methods.<br/><br/><b>References</b><br/>[1] G. Pittiglio, P. Lloyd, T. da Veiga, O. Onaizah, C. Pompili, J. H. Chandler, P. Valdastri, <i>Soft Robotics</i>, 9, 1031 (<b>2022</b>)<br/>[2] A. Das, E. L. Gilmer, S. Biria, M. J. Bortner, <i>ACS Applied Polymer Materials</i>, <i>3</i>, 1218 (<b>2021</b>)<br/>[3] J. Forth, X. B. Liu, J. Hasnain, A. Toor, K. Miszta, S. W. Shi, P. L. Geissler, T. Emrick, B. A. Helms, T. P. Russell, <i>Advanced Materials</i>, <i>30</i>, 1707603 (<b>2018</b>)<br/>[4] J. Z. Zhao, N. Y. He, <i>Journal of Materials Chemistry B</i>, <i>8</i>, 10474 (<b>2020</b>);<br/>[5] P. Wang, D. Auhl, E. Uhlmann, G. Gerlitzky, M. H. Wagner, <i>Applied Rheology</i>, <i>29</i>, 162 (<b>2019</b>);<br/>[6] P. Lloyd, O. Onaizah, G. Pittiglio, D. K. Vithanage, J. H. Chandler, P. Valdastri, <i>IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters</i>, <i>7</i>, 9770 (<b>2022</b>);<br/>[7] Y. Kim, E. Genevriere, P. Harker, M. Balicki, S. U. Lee, H. G. Bowman, A. B. Patel, X. H. Zhao, <i>Science Robotics</i>, <i>7</i>, eabg9907 (<b>2022</b>);