Student Projects

Project background

In recent years, the field of microrobotics has garnered significant attention, particularly for its potential applications in biomedical engineering, such as targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, and precise medical diagnostics. Traditional microrobot fabrication techniques predominantly rely on top-down methods, such as 3D printing and lithography. While effective, these methods often involve complex, time-consuming processes and face limitations in achieving high precision at the microscale.

Project details

Our approach diverges from these conventional methods by employing a bottom-up fabrication technique, leveraging the principles of self-assembly and droplet manipulation. Specifically, we focus on the innovative use of ferrofluid droplets and magnetic fields to sculpt microrobots with customized shapes. This method allows for greater flexibility and precision in designing microrobots, enabling the creation of complex geometries that would be challenging to achieve with top-down techniques.

The following experience or skills would be ideal but not necessary:

• Know-how in nanoparticles synthesis & self-assembly.

• Prior experience in chemistry lab.

• Prior experience or knowledge in magnetic control systems.

References

M. Hu et al. "Shaping the assembly of superparamagnetic nanoparticles." ACS Nano 13.3 (2019): 3015-3022.

B. J. Nelson & S. Pané “Delivering drugs with microrobots.” Science 382.6675 (2023): 1120-1122.

• Build up a droplet printing fabrication platform towards microrobots fabrications. (~ 1 month)

• Optimize the fabrication process to produce microrobots with tailored structures. (~ 3 months)

• Investigate how different microrobot shapes influence their movement under physiological conditions. (~ 2 months)

Please contact minghu@ethz.ch (Dr. Minghan Hu, SNSF Ambizione group leader).

Background

Artificial intelligence allows robotic machines to autonomously adapt to their environments and perform complex tasks. However, micro- and nanomachines cannot accommodate the bulky computational units required for such intelligence. Instead, the intelligence of these small-scale machines, including their ability to sense, control, and adapt, must arise from their physical structures through various responsive mechanisms. Despite significant progress in this area, the integration of diverse types of intelligence into micromachines remains largely unexplored.

This project aims to develop a microfluidic strategy to create intelligent micromachines with multiple responsive capabilities. The outcomes of this project will address fundamental questions in robotics and advance the development of intelligent micromachines for sophisticated biomedical and environmental applications.

The following experience or skills would be ideal but not necessary:

• Experience or knowledge in microfluidic devices.

• Prior experience in chemistry lab.

• Know-how in nanomaterials fabrication.

References

M. Hu et al. "Shaping the assembly of superparamagnetic nanoparticles." Mater. Horiz. 9.6 (2022): 1641-1648.

B. J. Nelson & S. Pané “Delivering drugs with microrobots.” Science 382.6675 (2023): 1120-1122.

• Manipulation of droplet-generation microfluidic systems. (~ 1 month)

• Develop microfabrication process to produce micromachines from different responsive polymers. (~ 3 months)

• Investigate and test the fabricated intelligent micromachines under different environmental cues. (~ 2 months)

Curious? Please contact minghu@ethz.ch (Dr. Minghan Hu, SNSF Ambizione group leader).

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This project is set to limited visibility by its publisher. To see the project description you need to log in at SiROP. Please follow these instructions:

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• Log in to SiROP using your university login or create an account to see the details.

If your affiliation is not created automatically, please follow these instructions: http://bit.ly/sirop-affiliate

Background

Microrobots have immense potential in fields such as biomedicine and environmental remediation. However, their development has been hindered by limitations in integrating multiple functional components effectively. Current top-down fabrication methods, e.g. photolithography or 3D printing, struggle to combine diverse functional components, restricting the versatility and performance of microrobots.

To overcome these challenges, this project will develop a novel bottom-up microfluidic assembly method, enabling the creation of multifunctional microrobots with unprecedented precision and flexibility. This innovative approach has the potential to redefine microrobot fabrication and expand their applications significantly.

Ideal Skills and Experience (not mandatory):

• Experience or knowledge in microfluidic devices design and operation.

• Prior experience in chemistry lab.

References

M. Hu et al. "Shaping the assembly of superparamagnetic nanoparticles." Mater. Horiz. 9.6 (2022), 1641.

B. J. Nelson & S. Pané “Delivering drugs with microrobots.” Science 382.6675 (2023), 1120.

T. Moragues et al. “Droplet-Based Microfluidics”. Nature Reviews Methods Primers 3.1 (2023), 32.

The goal of this project is to develop a novel bottom-up microfluidic assembly method for creating multi-functional microrobots with enhanced precision and flexibility. This approach aims to overcome current limitations in integrating diverse functional components, paving the way for advanced applications in biomedicine and environmental remediation.

Our project is highly interdisciplinary and embodies a high-impact, high-reward research approach. Your work could lead to pioneering discoveries and applications in microrobotics. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Minghan Hu (minghu@ethz.ch) and Chao Song (chao.song@chem.ethz.ch) for more details about the Master thesis.

Intravitreal therapy involves administering medication directly into the eye to treat chronic ophthalmic conditions. This routine procedure typically requires frequent, time-consuming clinic visits. To improve patient experience and streamline the treatment process, the Multiscale Robotics Lab is developing a robotic system that automates intraocular drug delivery. This system leverages advanced robotics to accommodate the eye’s rapid movements and to ensure safe, direct contact between the robotic actuator and ocular tissues.

The objective of this project is to advance an existing robotic platform capable of autonomously delivering injections into the human eye. Rather than starting from scratch, the student will build on significant prior research. The primary task is to implement a force-feedback control algorithm that acts as the system’s safety mechanism. Specifically, the student will develop an admittance control algorithm, enabling the robot to adapt to unexpected disturbances by using real-time data from a 6D eye-tracking device and a force sensor. The second phase of the project focuses on industrial design, ensuring the system is both visually appealing and suitable for clinical use. This phase includes partnering with external manufacturers for casting and production, resulting in a polished, user-friendly device for medical professionals.

Please send your transcripts and CV + (optional) project portfolio to: zjasan@ethz.ch

cehmke@ethz.ch

Intravitreal therapy involves administering medication directly into the eye to treat chronic ophthalmic conditions. This routine procedure typically requires frequent, time-consuming clinic visits. To improve patient experience and streamline the treatment process, the Multiscale Robotics Lab is developing a robotic system that automates intraocular drug delivery. This system leverages advanced robotics to accommodate the eye’s rapid movements and to ensure safe, direct contact between the robotic actuator and ocular tissues.

The objective of this project is to advance an existing robotic platform capable of autonomously delivering injections into the human eye. Rather than starting from scratch, the student will build on significant prior research. The primary task is to implement a force-feedback control algorithm that acts as the system’s safety mechanism. Specifically, the student will develop an admittance control algorithm, enabling the robot to adapt to unexpected disturbances by using real-time data from a 6D eye-tracking device and a force sensor. The second phase of the project focuses on industrial design, ensuring the system is both visually appealing and suitable for clinical use. This phase includes partnering with external manufacturers for casting and production, resulting in a polished, user-friendly device for medical professionals.

Please send your CV and transcripts + (optional) project portfolio to: zjasan@ethz.ch

cehmke@ethz.ch

This project is set to limited visibility by its publisher. To see the project description you need to log in at SiROP. Please follow these instructions:

• Click link "Open this project..." below.
• Log in to SiROP using your university login or create an account to see the details.

If your affiliation is not created automatically, please follow these instructions: http://bit.ly/sirop-affiliate

This project is set to limited visibility by its publisher. To see the project description you need to log in at SiROP. Please follow these instructions:

• Click link "Open this project..." below.
• Log in to SiROP using your university login or create an account to see the details.

If your affiliation is not created automatically, please follow these instructions: http://bit.ly/sirop-affiliate

Depending on the duration and direction of the project, the student will work on the following topics: deposition of oxide thin films using pulsed laser deposition (PLD; Fig. c), characterization of their structural and functional properties using x-ray diffraction and microscopy techniques, fabrication of PLD targets. Further sample testing could include magnetic robot navigation and ex-vivo studies.

cf abstract

Mathieu Mirjolet (mmirjolet@ethz.ch) Minsoo Kim (minkim@ethz.ch)