Abstract: Low Temperature Tetherless Grippers for Medicine (2008 Annual Meeting)

Thursday, November 20, 2008: 8:30 AM

Room 111-B (Pennsylvania Convention Center)

Timothy Leong, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Christina Randall, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Bryan Benson, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

David H. Gracias, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

We demonstrate the concept of mass-producible, thermally triggered functional tools in the form of microgrippers. The microgrippers close when exposed to a temperature above 40慢, and their response is triggered by changes in material properties engineered within. Thus, the microgrippers do not require any tubes, wiring, or other tethers and are truly mobile. The microgrippers can be set-free in large numbers or individually manipulated magnetically with ease, even through highly coiled tubes. We have utilized the microgrippers to retrieve beads from substrates and cells within narrow tubes; an in vitro biopsy was also demonstrated.

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See more of this Session: Micro- and Nanodevices for Targeted Therapeutics
See more of this Group/Topical: Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum