Addressable Acoustic Actuation of 3D Printed Soft Robotic Microsystems

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Robotics
• Acoustic Engineering

Background:

• Developing active scaffolds and soft robotic microsystems requires precise control over hydrogel mechanical systems.
• Existing methods for actuating microscale devices often rely on specific materials or complex fabrication processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a methodology for transducing ultrasound into frequency-selective actuation of multibody hydrogel mechanical systems.
• To enable the development of untethered, remotely controlled soft robotic microsystems and biophysical tools from biomaterials.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a modular design of compliant mechanisms compatible with direct laser writing.
• Employing a multiple degrees of freedom actuation scheme without requiring specialized materials like air bubbles.
• Applying finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics for performance prediction and design guidance.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated remotely controlled operation of untethered biomanipulation tools, including monolithic compound micromachinery.
• Showcased a soft microrobot capable of on-demand sample collection, encapsulation, and processing.
• Validated the use of acoustically powered hydrogels for precise microscale operations.

Conclusions:

• The presented methodology offers a versatile platform for creating active scaffolds and soft robotic microsystems from biomaterials.
• This technology facilitates the development of advanced biophysical tools for minimally invasive diagnosis and targeted therapy.
• Acoustic actuation provides a powerful, material-agnostic approach for controlling complex hydrogel-based microdevices.